US 11,898,856 B2
Autonomous vehicle long distance rides
Alexander Willem Gerrese, San Francisco, CA (US); Aakanksha Mirdha, San Francisco, CA (US); Yifei Zhang, San Francisco, CA (US); and Jeremy Stephen Juel, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/074,785.
Prior Publication US 2022/0120569 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. G01C 21/34 (2006.01); G08G 1/00 (2006.01); B60L 53/66 (2019.01); G06Q 10/02 (2012.01); G06Q 50/30 (2012.01); G06Q 10/047 (2023.01)
CPC G01C 21/343 (2013.01) [B60L 53/66 (2019.02); G01C 21/3438 (2013.01); G01C 21/3446 (2013.01); G01C 21/3461 (2013.01); G01C 21/3469 (2013.01); G06Q 10/02 (2013.01); G06Q 50/30 (2013.01); G08G 1/202 (2013.01); G06Q 10/047 (2013.01); Y02T 90/167 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for long distance rides in a fleet of autonomous vehicles, comprising:
receiving a route request including a pick-up location and a destination;
assigning the route request to a first autonomous vehicle;
determining that the first autonomous vehicle has insufficient charge to complete the route request;
providing a user interface for the route request for selection between a price-optimization preference and a time-optimization preference, wherein the price-optimization includes pausing a corresponding ride for a selected period of time to recharge the first autonomous vehicle and wherein the time-optimization preference includes switching to a second autonomous vehicle;
determining that the route request includes the price-optimization preference;
identifying a plurality of charging station waypoints;
identifying a plurality of stop locations, each of the plurality of stop locations near at least one of the plurality of charging station waypoints, and wherein the plurality of stop locations each include one of a restaurant, a shopping center, a playground, a park, and a beach;
providing a ride incentive for routes to a first city in order to rebalance the fleet of autonomous vehicles, wherein providing the ride incentive includes providing, via the user interface, for each of the plurality of stop locations, a coupon for an associated activity at or near the respective stop location;
receiving a stop location selection for a first stop location of the plurality of stop locations;
identifying a first charging station waypoint of the plurality of charging station waypoints, wherein the first charging station waypoint corresponds to the stop location selection;
routing the first autonomous vehicle to the stop location for passenger drop-off;
routing the first autonomous vehicle from the stop location to the charging station waypoint for recharging;
charging the first autonomous vehicle at the charging station waypoint;
routing the first autonomous vehicle from the charging station waypoint back to the stop location for passenger pick-up; and
routing the first autonomous vehicle to the destination.