Waymo LLC

Google Inc.

Brian Douglas Cullinane

Manuel Christian Clement

Robertus Christianus Elisabeth Mariet

Philip Nemec

Dmitri A Dolgov

Andrew Timothy Szybalski

Jennifer Arden

Min Li Chan

Renaud-Roland Hubert

Anne Kristina Aula

Lilli Ing-Marie Jonsson

David Tse-Zhou Lu

Nicholas Kenneth Hobbs

YooJung Ahn

Peter Crandall

Julien Charles Mercay

Daniel Jules Switkin

Lawrence Burns

Calvin Karl Johnson

Nathaniel Fairfield

Anne Kristiina Aula

Albert Shane

Anthony Scott Levandowski

Christopher Kennedy Ludwick

Hassan Rashid Mir

Isaac Lopes Nogueras

Marcos Aniceto Villalón Caro

Philippe Robert Agostino Holland

Adam Lee Frost

Joshua Seth Herbach

Eric Teller

Bradley Templeton

Alex Khaykin

Christopher John Stoffel

Chris Urmson

Brian Torcellini

Yoojung Ahn

Issac Lopes Nogueras

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to identifying and displaying traffic lanes that are available for autonomous driving. This information may be displayed to a driver of a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode, in order to inform the driver of where he or she can use the autonomous driving mode. In one example, the display may visually distinguishing between lanes that are available for auto-drive from those that are not. The display may also include an indicator of the position of a lane (autodrive or not) currently occupied by the vehicle. In addition, if that lane is an autodrive lane the display may include information indicating how much further the vehicle may continue in the autonomous driving mode in that particular lane. The display may also display information indicating the remaining autodrive distance in other lanes as well as the lane with the greatest remaining autodrive distance.

Determining and displaying auto drive lanes in an autonomous vehicle

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices that receive a request for a vehicle from a client computing device. The request identifies a first location. The one or more computing devices also determine whether the first location is within a threshold outside of a service area of the vehicle. When the location is within the threshold distance outside of the service area of the vehicle, the one or more computing devices identify a second location within the service area of the vehicle where the vehicle is able to stop for a passenger and based on the first location. The one or more computing devices then provide a map and a marker identifying the position of the second location on the map for display on the client computing device.

Automatically requesting vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure relate to providing information about a vehicle dispatched to pick up the user. In one example, a request for the vehicle to stop at a particular location is sent. In response, information identifying a current location of the vehicle is received. A map is generated. The map includes a first marker identifying the received location of the vehicle, a second marker identifying the particular location, and a shape defining an area around the second marker at which the vehicle may stop. The shape has an edge at least a minimum distance greater than zero from the second area. A route is displayed on the map between the first marker and the shape such that the route ends at the shape and does not reach the second marker. Progress of the vehicle towards the area along the route is displayed based on received updated location information for the vehicle.

Pickup and drop off zones for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering an occupant of the vehicle to a destination autonomously as well as providing information about the vehicle and the vehicle's environment for display to the occupant. The information includes a representation of a scene depicting an external environment of the vehicle. The representation of the scene includes a visual representation of the vehicle and a visual representation of objects in an external environment of the vehicle.

Occupant facing vehicle display

Aspects of the present disclosure relate switching between autonomous and manual driving modes. In order to do so, the vehicle's computer may conduct a series of environmental, system, and driver checks to identify certain conditions. The computer may correct some of these conditions and also provide a driver with a checklist of tasks for completion. Once the tasks have been completed and the conditions are changed, the computer may allow the driver to switch from the manual to the autonomous driving mode. The computer may also make a determination, under certain conditions, that it would be detrimental to the driver's safety or comfort to make a switch from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode.

Engaging and disengaging for autonomous driving

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to generating and providing route options for an autonomous vehicle. For example, a user may identify a destination, and in response the vehicle's computer may provide routing options to the user. The routing options may be based on typical navigating considerations such as the total travel time, travel distance, fuel economy, etc. Each routing option may include not only an estimated total time, but also information regarding whether and which portions of the route may be maneuvered under the control of the vehicle alone (fully autonomous), a combination of the vehicle and the driver (semiautonomous), or the driver alone. The time of the longest stretch of driving associated with the autonomous mode as well as map information indicating portions of the routes associated with the type of maneuvering control may also be provided.

Suggesting a route based on desired amount of driver interaction

Aspects of the disclosure relate to vehicles capable of autonomous driving. These vehicles may include seats for accommodating different numbers of passengers. In some cases, the seats may be reconfigurable. For instance, a vehicle may include a first row of seating having a first, passenger use configuration. The first row may allow a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle. The first row of seating may also have a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded configuration and no longer usable for passenger seating. The vehicle may also have a second row of seating. When the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating may still be usable for seating and may include additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration.

Second row priority seating for vehicles

A vehicle has a plurality of control apparatuses, a user input, a geographic position component, an object detection apparatus, memory, and a display. A processor is also included and is programmed to receive the destination information, identify a route, and determine the current geographic location of the vehicle. The processor is also programmed to identify an object and object type based on object information received from the object detection apparatus and to determine at least one warning characteristic of the identified object based on at least one of: the object type, a detected proximity of the detected object to the vehicle, the location of the detected object relative to predetermined peripheral areas of the vehicle, the current geographic location of the vehicle, and the route. The processor is also configured to select and display on the display an object warning image based on the at least one warning characteristic.

User interface for displaying object-based indications in an autonomous driving system

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a location, determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the location, provide a first notification that the vehicle is within the first distance, and stop the vehicle. When the vehicle is stopped, the computing device may initiate a countdown. When a client computing device associated with the passenger has not been authenticated, the computing devices may provide a second notification based on a first amount of time remaining in the countdown and a third notification indicating that the trip is cancelled based on a second amount of time remaining in the countdown less than the first amount of time. Once the third notification is provided, the computing devices move the vehicle from the where the vehicle is stopped without the passenger.

Autonomous vehicle behavior when waiting for passengers

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.

Autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location and determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location. When the vehicle is within the first distance, the computing devices may make a first attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the first attempt, the computing devices may maneuvering the vehicle in order to make a second attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the second attempt, the computing devices may stop the vehicle in a current lane to wait for the passenger.

Attempting to pull over for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering an occupant of the vehicle to a destination autonomously as well as providing information about the vehicle and the vehicle's environment for display to the occupant.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Brian Douglas Cullinane