Waymo LLC

Bruce Mai

Maria Moon

Philip Nemec

Ryan Powell

Kevin Joseph Malta

Jonathan Willing

Salil Pandit

Victor Chan

Reed Morse

Peter Crandall

Robert J Chen

Jonathan Lee Pedersen

Donghyun Kim

Eric Friedman

Lauren Schwendimann

Daniella Gutlansky

Steven Kleiser

Gaurav Agarwal

Eamonn Michael Doherty

Andrew Chan

Ryan Hendrickson

Ricardo Gonzalez Ramirez

Hans-olav CaveLie

Celia Zhang

Kerry Brennan

Shiqian Zhang

Aspects of the disclosure provide for generating and using a model for identifying a plurality of pick up or drop off locations for a large venue point of interest. For instance, a large venue point of interest may be identified. The plurality may be identified for the large venue point of interest based on a combination of historical trip data and map information. The plurality may be associated with the large venue point of interest. The association may be stored in memory for later use. Thereafter, a request for a trip identifying the large venue point of interest may be received from a client computing device, and the plurality may be provided to the client computing device in response to the request. A pickup and drop off location of the plurality may be provided to an autonomous vehicle in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to transport a passenger to the pickup or drop off location.

Determining pickup and drop off locations for large venue points of interests

The technology uses augmented reality (AR) elements for enhanced wayfinding with autonomous vehicle pickups and drop-offs. The approach includes generating, for presentation in a first region of a client device UI, trip information regarding a trip. Map information associated with the trip is generated for presentation in a second UI region, including at least one of a pickup location for a rider, a walking path from a current location of the rider to the pickup location, a planned route of the vehicle to the pickup location, or a current location of the vehicle. An AR indicator is generated for presentation in the second UI region. Upon selection of the indicator, the system modifies the second region into a first section to display at least a portion of the map information and a second section to display an augmented reality view, or replace the map information with the AR view.

Augmented reality wayfinding

The technology employs a holistic approach to passenger pickups and other wayfinding situations. This includes identifying where passengers are relative to the vehicle and/or the pickup location. One aspect leverages camera imagery from a rider's client device when providing rider support. This enables an agent to receive the imagery to help guide the rider to the vehicle. Another aspect provides audio information to the rider to help them get to the vehicle. This can include selecting or curating various tones or melodies, giving the rider advanced notice of sounds to listen for, and modifying sounds as the rider approaches the vehicle or to address ambient noise in the environment. Different wayfinding tools may be selected for presentation to the rider based on their proximity state to a pickup location or to the vehicle. Gracefully transitioning between different tools can enhance their usefulness and elevate the rider's experience for a trip.

Holistic and inclusive wayfinding

Aspects of the disclosure relate to arranging trips for an autonomous vehicle transportation service. In one instance, a request for a first trip from a user is received. The trip may include a pickup location and a destination location. Whether the user has previously completed the first trip may be determined by comparing the pickup location and the destination location to a trip history for the user. Based on the determination, a notification suggesting that the user establish a routine may be provided for display to the user. Confirmation that the user wants to establish a routine based on the pickup location and the destination location may be received. The routine may be stored in memory for later use.

Establishing routines for autonomous vehicle transportation services

Aspects of the disclosure provide for displaying notifications on a display of an autonomous vehicle. In one instance, a distance from the vehicle to a destination of the vehicle or a passenger may be determined. When the distance is between a first distance and a second distance, a first notificationmay be displayed on the display. The second distance may be less than the first distance. When the distance is less than the second distance, a second notificationmay be displayed on the display. The second notification provides additional information not provided by the first notification.

External facing communications for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure relate to evaluating quality of a predetermined pullover location for an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a plurality of inputs for the predetermined pullover location may be received. The plurality of inputs may each include a value representative of a characteristic of the predetermined pullover location. The plurality of inputs may be combined to determine a pullover quality value for the predetermined pullover location. The pullover quality value may be provided to a vehicle in order to enable the vehicle to select a pullover location for the vehicle.

Quality scoring for pullovers for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure relate to providing transportation services with autonomous vehicles. For instance, a first route to a first destination may be determined. The first route may have a first cost. Weather information for the first destination may be received. A characteristic is determined based on the weather information. A second destination having the characteristic may be selected. The second destination may be different from the first destination. A second route to the second destination may be determined. The second route may have a second cost. The first cost may be compared to the second cost, and the vehicle may use the comparison to set one of the first destination or the second destination as a current destination for a vehicle to cause the vehicle to control itself in an autonomous driving mode to the current destination.

Leveraging weather information to improve passenger pickup and drop offs for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure provide for displaying notifications on a display of an autonomous vehicle. In one instance, a distance from the vehicle to a destination of the vehicle or a passenger may be determined. When the distance is between a first distance and a second distance, a first notification may be displayed on the display. The second distance may be less than the first distance. When the distance is less than the second distance, a second notification may be displayed on the display. The second notification provides additional information not provided by the first notification.

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Sacramento, CA, United States of America

Bruce Mai