Uber Technologies, Inc.

Uatc, LLC

Emily Bartel

Matthew Sweeney

Molly Castle Nix

Anthony Scott Levandowski

Logan Rockmore

Bryan John Nagy

Brett Bavar

Xiaodong Zhang

David McAllister Bradley

Richard Brian Donnelly

Jean-Sebastien Valois

Molly Nix

A system for an autonomous vehicle can receive profile data of a passenger of the autonomous vehicle, the profile data indicating a need of the passenger for audio assistance. Based on the profile data, the system can execute a set of configurations to assist the passenger over a trip duration between a pick-up location and a destination. Execution of the set of configurations can include dynamically monitoring the passenger to determine a state of the passenger, and based on the state of the passenger, output the audio assistance to at least aid the passenger in entering and exiting the autonomous vehicle.

Transport vehicle configuration for impaired riders

A system can receive a destination change request inputted by a passenger of an autonomous vehicle, where the destination change request comprises a request to change a first destination of the passenger to a second destination. In response to receiving the destination change request, the system determines a feasibility indicator for the autonomous vehicle to travel to the second destination, and based on the feasibility indicator, determines a suggested destination being different from the second destination. The system transmits an instruction to a computing system of the autonomous vehicle, causing the computing system of the autonomous vehicle to reroute the autonomous vehicle to the suggested destination. The system then transmits an instruction to a computing device associated with a non-autonomous vehicle, where the instruction comprises a request or invitation for a driver of the non-autonomous vehicle to transport the passenger from the suggested destination to the second destination.

Destination changes in autonomous vehicles

A method for processing destination change requests from passengers of autonomous vehicles can include determining one or more operating parameters for the autonomous vehicle, and based on the one or more operating parameters, determining a feasibility indicator for the autonomous vehicle to travel to the second destination. Based on the feasibility indicator, the method includes determining a suggested destination for the passenger and transmit an instruction to a computing system of the autonomous vehicle causing the autonomous vehicle to reroute to the suggested destination. The method includes transmitting a set of travel directions to a computing device of the passenger, indicating a travel route from the suggested destination to the second destination.

A sensory stimulation system within an interior of an autonomous vehicle (AV) can obtain maneuver data representing one or more maneuvers to be performed by the AV. For each respective maneuver of the one or more maneuvers, the system can determine one or more visual outputs to provide a passenger of the AV with a sensory indication of the respective maneuver, and then output the one or more visual outputs via the display system.

Sensory stimulation system for an autonomous vehicle

A hybrid trip planning system can receive transport requests from requesting users, and determine a pick-up location from each transport request. The pick-up location can be within or external to an autonomy grid on which a plurality of autonomous vehicles (AVs) can operate in an autonomous mode. The system can further determine a drop-off location from the transport request, the drop-off location also being within or external to the autonomy grid. The system can select and route an AV to a most optimal entry and/or exit point of the autonomy grid based on the transport request, where the selected AV is to switch between a manual and an autonomous mode.

Hybrid trip planning for autonomous vehicles

A method can include obtaining data associated with a destination change request from a passenger of the autonomous vehicle. The destination change request can be indicative of a request to change a first destination to a second destination. In response to obtaining data associated with the destination change request, the method can include: obtaining data indicative of one or more operating parameters for the autonomous vehicle; determining a feedback response for responding to the destination change request based at least in part on the one or more operating parameters; and providing data associated with the feedback response for presentation via the one or more interfaces to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle. The feedback response can include a suggested destination. The suggested destination can be different from the second destination.

A hybrid trip planning system can receive transport requests from requesting users, determine pick-up and/or drop off locations from the transport request, and select available autonomous vehicles (AV) to service the transport requests. For each transport request, the planning system can identify a plurality of entry points from the pick-up location to an autonomy grid on which the AVs operate, and a plurality of exit points from the autonomy grid to the drop-off location. The planning system may determine optimal entry and/or exit points and transmit transport data to the selected AV. The transport data can provide optimal routing for a human safety driver to drive the selected AV in manual segments that are off grid, and switch the AV into an autonomous driving mode within the autonomy grid.

A system can accommodate riders of a transportation arrangement service that have certain physical impairments, such as visual, hearing, or movement impairments. In certain aspects, a transportation facilitation system can create rider profiles that specify a particular impairment, and vehicle profiles indicating accommodation features. The transport facilitation system can receive a pick-up request, utilize the rider profile and vehicle profiles of vehicle proximate to a pick-up location, select a vehicle to service the pick-up request, and generate a configuration set to configure the selected vehicle to accommodate the impaired user.

A sensory stimulation system for autonomous vehicle (AV) can determine a set of maneuvers of the AV. Based on each respective maneuver, the sensory stimulation system can determine a set of visual stimulation outputs to provide a passenger of the AV with visual indications of the respective maneuver. The sensory stimulation system can then display the set of visual stimulation outputs on a display unit within the interior of the AV prior to executing each respective maneuver.

Systems for controlling autonomous vehicles are disclosed. Using one or more location detection resources, the system can receive vehicle data from an autonomous vehicle as the autonomous vehicle progresses towards a pickup location of a requesting user and receive requester data from a mobile computing device of the requester. The system can determine when the autonomous vehicle and the requester are at or within a threshold distance of the pickup location. Subsequently, the system can instruct the autonomous vehicle to perform one or more non-driving operations to facilitate use of the autonomous vehicle by the requester.

Controlling autonomous vehicles in connection with transport services

A sensory stimulation system for autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor AV data indicating actions to be performed by the AV. The sensory stimulation system can further provide a user interface the enables riders of the AV to adjust output parameters of the sensory stimulation system. Based at least in part on the AV data, the sensory stimulation system can generate a set of stimulation commands for one or more of the output systems. Based on adjustments made by the at least one rider on the user interface, the sensory stimulation system can execute the stimulation commands on individual output systems.

Sensory stimulation for an autonomous vehicle

A sensory stimulation system for autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor a set of maneuvers of the AV. Based on each respective maneuver, the sensory stimulation system can determine a set of sensory stimulation outputs to provide a rider of the AV with sensory indications of the respective maneuver. The sensory stimulation system can then output the set of sensory stimulation outputs via an interior output system.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Emily Bartel