Zoox, Inc.

Amanda Brown Prescott

Markus Jost

Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha

Johannes Edren

Nam Gook Cho

Ahditya Melkote

Riccardo Giraldi

Christopher Robert Nalevanko

Venkata Subrahmanyam Chandra Sekhar Chebiyyam

Subhasis Das

Da Liu

Sarah Tariq

Michael Carsten Bosse

Mark Alan Bates

Jonathan Tyler Dowdall

Carter William McEathron

Fabricio Cesar Oda

Anthony Earl

Marina Camille Josephs

Dilip Bethanabhotla

Reginaldo Alves De Almeida

Valerie Bumbaca Randolph

Roberto Dlacic

Pratik Bansal

Ryan William McGaughey

Jesse Ian Walker

Christopher Lawrence Jackson

A vehicle may comprise an actuator system. The actuator system may comprise an indicia portion (e.g., a retroreflector, etc.), a masking element that exposes the indicia portion in a first state and covers the indicia portion in a second state, and a linkage coupling the masking element to an actuator. In the case of a bidirectional vehicle, operation of the actuator may be based at least in part on a determination of the vehicle changing a direction of travel. The actuator system may cause a first set of one or more actuator systems disposed on a first end of the vehicle to transition from a first state to a second state and/or cause a second set of one or more actuator systems disposed on a second end opposite the first end of the vehicle to transition from the second state to the first state.

Vehicle fascia comprising actuated reflectors

Vehicles may be associated with a variety of different types of events, including events associated with vehicle operations and/or events associated with vehicle passengers. The present disclosure is related to, when an event is detected, exchanging information with a vehicle passenger, such as via the passenger's mobile device and/or wearable device. In some instances, an event may be detected, and examples of the present disclosure may provide an application notification presenting various information. The notification may, in some examples, be configured to help the passenger locate the passenger device, to alert the passenger to the event, to provide instructions, and/or to provide a control interface for controlling a vehicle operation. In some examples, the notification may supersede operations of the passenger device, such as by being presented even if the device is in a locked state or has an unrelated application open and in the foreground.

Vehicle-event application notifications

Vehicle-passenger assistance facilitation

This disclosure relates to systems and techniques for identifying collisions, such as relatively low energy impact collisions involving an autonomous vehicle. Sensor data from a first sensor modality in a first array may be used to determine a first estimated location of impact and second sensor data from a second sensor modality in a second array may be used to determine a second estimated location of impact. A low energy impact event may be configured when the first estimated location of impact corresponds to the second estimated location of impact.

Low-energy impact collision detection

Techniques for utilizing microphone or audio data to detect and responding to low velocity impacts to a system such as an autonomous vehicle. In some cases, the system may be equipped with a plurality of microphones that may be used to detect impacts that fail to register on the data captured by the vehicle's inertial measurement units and may go undetected by the vehicle's perception system and sensors. In one specific example, the perception system of the autonomous vehicle may identify a period of time in which a potential low velocity impact may occur. The autonomous vehicle may then utilize the microphone or audio data associated with the period of time to determine if an impact occurred.

System to detect impacts

A vehicle may receive sensor data captured by a sensor, determine that the sensor data represents an object in the environment, and determine a collision probability associated with a collision between the vehicle and the object. Based at least in part on the collision probability, the vehicle may determine one or more mitigating actions to perform prior to, during, and/or after the collision. The mitigating action may be associated with adjusting a hydraulic fluid pressure in at least a portion of a hydraulic fluid system of the vehicle.

Reducing hydraulic fluid pressure based on predicted collision

A vehicle may receive sensor data captured by a sensor of the vehicle, determine that the sensor data represents an object in the environment, and determine an impact location between the vehicle and the object. The impact location may be associated with a predicted collision between the vehicle and the object. The vehicle may also determine an object type corresponding to the object and/or a characteristic of the object. Based at least in part on the impact location, object type, and/or the characteristic, a ride height of the vehicle may be adjusted.

Adjusting vehicle ride height based on predicted collision

Growing community of inventors

Half Moon Bay, CA, United States of America

Amanda Brown Prescott