US 11,947,356 B2
Evaluating pullovers for autonomous vehicles
Daniella Gutlansky, San Francisco, CA (US); Mishika Vora, Hayward, CA (US); Tiffany Washburn, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Yu Zheng, Milpitas, CA (US); and Sandra Lennie, San Mateo, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/229,054.
Prior Publication US 2022/0326711 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06V 10/25 (2022.01)
CPC G05D 1/0214 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0055 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G06V 10/25 (2022.01); G05D 2201/0213 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
accessing, by one or more processors, pre-stored map information used to control an autonomous vehicle, the pre-stored map information identifying a plurality of predetermined types of regions of interest;
identifying, by the one or more processors, from log data, a set of potential pullover locations within a predetermined distance of a destination, wherein the log data is collected by the autonomous vehicle as the autonomous vehicle approaches the destination, and wherein the log data identifies a first pullover location selected by autonomous vehicle control software;
determining, by the one or more processors, which ones of the potential pullover locations of the set include or at least partially overlap with one or more of the plurality of predetermined types of regions of interest identified in the pre-stored map information;
selecting, by the one or more processors, a second pullover location from the at least one of the potential pullover locations of the set based on the determining;
comparing, by the one or more processors, the second pullover location to the first pullover location in order to evaluate the first pullover location; and
adjusting or updating the autonomous vehicle control software based on the evaluation of the first pullover location.