Lateral gap planning for autonomous vehicles

US12116014B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Waymo LLC · US

Inventors

• Victor Puchkarev · Sunnyvale, US
• Alexander Ruben Stacey McCarthy · San Francisco, US
• Aleix Paris i Bordas · San Francisco, US
• Jennifer Iglesias · San Francisco, US
• Allison Thackston · San Jose, US
• Xinrui Wang · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 29, 2021
• Grant date: Oct 15, 2024
• Expiry date: Dec 2, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60W2754/20
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle to traverse in order to follow a route to a destination may be generated. A first error value for a boundary of an object, a second error value for a location of the autonomous vehicle, a third error value for a predicted future location of the object may be received. An uncertainty value for the object may be determined by combining the first error value, the second error value, and the third error value. A lateral gap threshold for the object may be determined based on the uncertainty value. The autonomous vehicle may be controlled in an autonomous driving mode based on the lateral gap threshold for the object.