Waymo LLC

Nolan McPeek-Bechtold

Daniel Trawick Egnor

Ryan Cash

James Harris

Andrew Barton-Sweeney

Ruslan Kurdyumov

Spencer Alexander

Kimberly Geneva Toth

Ethan Stark

Justin Zaydel

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a control command identifying a steering control position may be received by a steering system of the vehicle from an autonomous driving control system. Orientation of one or more wheels of the vehicle may be controlled according to the steering control position. After receiving the control command, that the steering system has not received a valid control command from the control system for a first predetermined duration may be determined. Based on the determination that the steering system has not received a valid control command from the control system for the first predetermined duration, the orientation of the one or more wheels may be continue to be controlled based on the steering control position.

Steering system fault response for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode where vehicle has a drive by wire braking system. For instance, while the vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, a signal corresponding to input at a brake pedal of the drive by wire braking system may be received. An amount of braking may be determined based on the received signal. The amount of braking may be used to determine a trajectory for the vehicle to follow. The vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode using the trajectory.

Responding to input on a brake pedal of a brake by wire system for an autonomous vehicle

A method and system are provided for controlling braking a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, the vehicle is controlled in the autonomous driving mode according to a first braking control mode using a first model to adjust the position of a vehicle relative to an expected position of a current trajectory of the vehicle. Using a second model how close to a maximum deviation threshold the vehicle would come if a maximum braking strength for the vehicle was applied is predicted. The maximum deviation threshold provides an allowed forward deviation from the current trajectory. Based on the prediction, the vehicle is controlled in the autonomous driving mode according to a second braking control mode by automatically applying the maximum braking strength.

Braking control behaviors for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode and a manual driving mode. The vehicle may include a steering system having one or more processors configured to control the orientation of the one or more wheels based on control commands. The vehicle may also include an autonomous driving control system configured to control the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode by generating the control commands and to send the control commands to the steering system. In addition, the steering system may thermally derate the steering system based on first temperature information for the steering system when the vehicle is operating in a manual drive mode, and the autonomous driving control system may thermally derate the steering system based on second temperature information for the steering system when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous driving mode.

Thermal management of steering system for autonomous vehicles

Aspects of the disclosure relate to stopping a vehicle. For instance, a vehicle is controlled in an autonomous driving mode by generating first commands for acceleration control and sending the first commands to an acceleration and/or steering actuator of an acceleration system of the vehicle in order to cause the vehicle to accelerate. Acceleration and/or orientation of the vehicle is monitored while the vehicle is being operated in an autonomous driving mode. The monitored acceleration and/or orientation is compared with the first commands. An error with the acceleration and/or steering system is determined based on the comparison. When the error is determined, the vehicle is controlled in the autonomous driving mode by generating second commands which do not require any acceleration and/or steering.

Detecting and responding to propulsion and steering system errors for autonomous vehicles

The disclosure relates to controlling braking behaviors a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode in the event of a hydraulic system failure. For instance, the vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode according to a first braking control behavior based on a first relationship between position of a brake pedal of the vehicle and amount of deceleration for the vehicle. While controlling the vehicle, a failure of a hydraulic system may be determined. Based on the determination, the vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode according to a second braking control behavior by moving the brake pedal until the vehicle reaches a deceleration target defined by the second braking control behavior.

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Belmont, CA, United States of America

Nolan McPeek-Bechtold