Zoox, Inc.

Sunpower Corporation

Sy Kelly Olson

Collin MacGregor

Jefferson Bradfield Packer

Joseph Funke

Andreas Christian Reschka

Zachary Steele Judkins

Janek Hudecek

Jason Jones

Cedric Jeanty

David Martins Belo

Jacob Marshall

Leonardo Poubel Orenstein

Taylor Scott Clawson

Julia A Wyatt

Ramakrishna Jupalli

Bart Wiktorowicz

Techniques for determining a safety metric associated with a vehicle controller are discussed herein. The safety metric may be reflective of one or more severity scores associated with a collision simulated by simulating performance of the vehicle controller. The techniques may include determining a simulation scenario, simulating the scenario by simulating a component of an autonomous vehicle, and determining simulation data describing a collision occurring between the simulated autonomous vehicle and an object in the scenario. The simulation data is used to determine a severity score for the collision that may be used to refine the component of the autonomous vehicle system and/or validate the component for safe operation.

Severity simulation for autonomous vehicles

The present disclosure is directed to performing one or more validity checks on potential trajectories for a device, such as an autonomous vehicle, to navigate. In some examples, a potential trajectory may be validated based on whether it is consistent with a current trajectory the vehicle is navigating such that the potential and current trajectories are not too different, whether the vehicle can feasibly or kinematically navigate to the potential trajectory from a current state, whether the potential trajectory was punctual or received within a time period of a prior trajectory, and/or whether the potential trajectory passes a staleness check, such that it was created within a certain time period. In some examples, determining whether a potential trajectory is feasibly may include updating a set of feasibility limits based on one or more operational characteristics of statuses of subsystems of the vehicle.

Modifying limits on vehicle dynamics for trajectories

Techniques for procedurally generating scenarios that verify and validate predictions from or operation of a vehicle safety system are discussed herein. Sensors of a vehicle may detect one or more objects in the environment. A model may determine intersection values indicative of probabilities that the object will intersect with a trajectory of the vehicle. A vehicle may receive one or more intersection values from a model usable by a computing device to validate a prediction from a vehicle safety system.

Procedurally generated safety system determination

Systems and methods are described for performing one or more validity checks on potential trajectories for a device, such as an autonomous vehicle, to navigate. In some examples, a potential trajectory may be validated based on whether it is consistent with a current trajectory the vehicle is navigating such that the potential and current trajectories are not too different, whether the vehicle can feasibly or kinematically navigate to the potential trajectory from a current state, whether the potential trajectory was punctual or received within a time period of a prior trajectory, and/or whether the potential trajectory passes a staleness check, such that it was created within a certain time period. In some examples, determining whether a potential trajectory is feasibly may include updating a set of feasibility limits based on one or more operational characteristics of statuses of subsystems of the vehicle.

Feasibility validation for vehicle trajectory selection

System and method for trajectory validation

Consistency validation for vehicle trajectory selection

A method and apparatus for selecting among a plurality of trajectories comprises receiving at least a first and second trajectory, each having an associated level in a trajectory hierarchy, determining whether the first trajectory is viable, determining a present level limit for trajectory selection, and if the first trajectory is viable and its level does not exceed the present level limit, executing the first trajectory. If the first trajectory is not viable or the associated level of the first trajectory exceeds the present level limit, the second trajectory is executed if it is viable and its associated level does not exceed the present level limit. A state variable is set such that when a trajectory lower in a trajectory hierarchy is executed, a trajectory selector waits for a message from a monitor or an operator before returning to the use of higher level trajectories.

System and method for effecting a safety stop release in an autonomous vehicle

Solar tracker systems having several rows of photovoltaic strings individually actuated by respective tracker control systems, are described. In an example, a solar tracker system includes a tracker control system having a tracker controller powered by forward-fed power from a photovoltaic string, e.g., during daytime, and powered by back-fed power from a station hub, e.g., during nighttime. Methods of operating the solar tracker system to forward-feed or back-feed power to the tracker control system are also described.

Solar tracker system

Growing community of inventors

Oakland, CA, United States of America

Sy Kelly Olson