Autonomous Vehicle Operational Management

Abstract

Autonomous vehicle operational management may include traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network. Traversing the vehicle transportation network may include generating an autonomous vehicle operational control environment for operating scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instances. A scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance may be an instance of a respective scenario-specific operational control evaluation module. A scenario-specific operational control evaluation module may model a respective distinct vehicle operational scenario. A scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance may generate a respective candidate vehicle control action responsive to the respective corresponding distinct vehicle operational scenario. Traversing the vehicle transportation network may include operating a scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, receiving a first candidate vehicle control action from the first scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network based on the first candidate vehicle control action.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for use in traversing a vehicle transportation network, the method comprising:
 traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network, wherein traversing the vehicle transportation network includes:
 operating a scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance; 
 receiving a candidate vehicle control action from the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance; and 
 traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network based on the candidate vehicle control action. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein traversing the portion of the vehicle transportation network includes traversing the portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with an identified route. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is associated with an external object within a defined distance from the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is an instance of a scenario-specific operational control evaluation module from a plurality of scenario-specific operational control evaluation modules. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each scenario-specific operational control evaluation module from the plurality of scenario-specific operational control evaluation modules models a distinct vehicle operational scenario. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein operating the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance includes modeling, by the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, a distinct vehicle operational scenario. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein modeling the distinct vehicle operational scenario includes modeling sensor uncertainty. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein modeling the distinct vehicle operational control scenario includes:
 receiving sensor information from a sensor of the autonomous vehicle; and   modeling the distinct vehicle operational control scenario based on the sensor information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein modeling the distinct vehicle operational control scenario includes:
 receiving vehicle transportation network information representing the vehicle transportation network; and   modeling the distinct vehicle operational control scenario based on the sensor information and the vehicle transportation network information.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein modeling the distinct vehicle operational control scenario includes:
 receiving a probability of availability for the portion of the vehicle transportation network from a blocking monitor instance; and   modeling the distinct vehicle operational control scenario based on the probability of availability.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instantiating a second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance associated with a second external object within the defined distance from the autonomous vehicle; and   receiving a second candidate vehicle control action from the second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein traversing the portion of the vehicle transportation network includes traversing the portion of the vehicle transportation network based on the candidate vehicle control action and the second candidate vehicle control action. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is an instance of a first scenario-specific operational control evaluation module from a plurality of scenario-specific operational control evaluation modules, wherein each scenario-specific operational control evaluation module from the plurality of scenario-specific operational control evaluation modules models a distinct vehicle operational scenario. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is a second instance of the first scenario-specific operational control evaluation module. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is associated with a second external object within the defined distance from the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is an instance of a second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module from the plurality of scenario-specific operational control evaluation modules. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is associated with a second external object within the defined distance from the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is associated with the external object. 
     
     
         19 . A method for use in traversing a vehicle transportation network, the method comprising:
 traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network, wherein traversing the vehicle transportation network includes:
 generating an autonomous vehicle operational control environment for operating scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instances, wherein each scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance is an instance of a respective scenario-specific operational control evaluation module, wherein each scenario-specific operational control evaluation module models a respective distinct vehicle operational scenario, and wherein each scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance generates a respective candidate vehicle control action responsive to the respective corresponding distinct vehicle operational scenario; 
 operating a first scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance; 
 receiving a first candidate vehicle control action from the first scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance; and 
 traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network based on the first candidate vehicle control action. 
   
     
     
         20 . An autonomous vehicle comprising:
 a processor configured to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium to:
 operate a scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance; 
 receive a candidate vehicle control action from the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance; and 
 traverse a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the candidate vehicle control action.