Trajectory Planning for an Autonomous Vehicle

Abstract

Among other things, a determination is made of an ability of an autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel a road feature or a road segment or a route that is being considered for the autonomous vehicle as of a time or range of times. Route root conforms to properties of stored road network information. The road feature or road segment or route is eliminated from consideration if the computer has determined that the road feature or road segment or route cannot be safely or robustly traveled by the autonomous vehicle. The determination by the computer is based on properties of the environment in which the autonomous vehicle travels.

1 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for travelling along a trajectory by an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
 receiving, from one or more sensors, signals providing information relating to an environment of the trajectory, wherein the trajectory is one of at least two candidate trajectories for the autonomous vehicle to travel;   identifying, using stored information, a characteristic of a segment of the trajectory;   determining a level of performance of the one or more sensors providing the information relating to the environment of the trajectory;   in accordance with a determination that the level of performance of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is below a predetermined threshold value, determining that the autonomous vehicle cannot travel the segment of the trajectory; and   in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle cannot travel the segment of the trajectory, eliminating the trajectory from the at least two candidate trajectories for the autonomous vehicle to travel.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the characteristic comprises at least one road feature. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the characteristic comprises at least one spatial characteristic of the at least one road feature. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , in which the at least one road feature includes road width, road intersections, roundabouts, road junctions, and multi-lane surface roads. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , in which the characteristic comprises connectivity characteristics of at least one road feature. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , in which the at least one road feature includes orientation of intersecting road segments, designation of specialized travel lanes, and identification of roadway entrance ramps or exit ramps. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the characteristic comprises location of roadwork or at least one accident. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , in which the characteristic comprising location of roadwork includes information of ad hoc signage, at least one barrier, and at least one traffic guide associated with the roadwork or the at least one accident. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the characteristic comprises curvature or slope that affect visibility. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the characteristic comprises characteristics of markings of at least one road feature. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the level of performance of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is a function of current or predicted future conditions. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the level of performance of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors includes a function of a given time or times of day or a range of times of day. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the level of performance of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors includes a function of ambient lighting. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the level of performance of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors includes at least one mode of sensor failure. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the information relating to an environment of the trajectory includes forecast weather conditions forecast for at least part of the trajectory. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , in which the forecasted weather conditions are augmented from at least one real time service provider. 
     
     
         39 . The method to  claim 37 , in which the characteristic is adversely affected by the forecast weather conditions. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the characteristic is adversely affected in view of the information at a given time or times of day or a range of times of day. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the level of performance of the one or more sensors comprises a sensor reaction time to a change in the environment. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 23 , in which the level of performance of the one or more sensors comprises a sensor reaction time to a change in the characteristic.