| CPC B60W 60/0013 (2020.02) [B60W 30/0956 (2013.01); B60W 30/143 (2013.01); B60W 30/18163 (2013.01); B60W 40/04 (2013.01); B60W 60/0011 (2020.02); B60W 60/0015 (2020.02); B60W 2554/20 (2020.02); B60W 2554/402 (2020.02); B60W 2554/80 (2020.02); B60W 2555/60 (2020.02)] | 20 Claims | 

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               1. A method, comprising: 
            determining, using at least one processor, a danger rating associated with each of objects identified in an environment, wherein the danger rating represents a level of severity of damage caused by a respective object if a collision were to occur, and wherein a danger rating associated with an intimidating object is the same as a danger rating associated with a vulnerable object, and a danger rating associated with a passenger vehicle is the same as a danger rating associated with a construction zone; 
                evaluating, using the at least one processor, a set of hierarchical factors with respect to one or more traffic scenarios; 
                determining a metric for trajectories of each traffic scenario that quantifies passenger ride comfort based on the danger rating associated with each of the objects identified in the environment and the set of hierarchical factors; 
                determining, using the at least one processor, a motion control operation in each traffic scenario to increase the passenger ride comfort based on the metric; 
                augmenting, using the at least one processor, a route planner of an autonomous vehicle with motion control operations in the one or more traffic scenarios to increase the passenger ride comfort; 
                selecting, using the at least one processor, a trajectory in a particular traffic scenario using the augmented route planner, wherein the selected trajectory comprises a highest metric when compared to metrics of the trajectories of the particular traffic scenario; and 
                operating, using the at least one processor, the autonomous vehicle using the selected trajectory. 
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