Transportation Systems for Autonomous Vehicles

Abstract

A transportation system for autonomous vehicles may include a control system configured to determine a respective vehicle trajectory for each autonomous vehicle and to provide the respective vehicle trajectories to each autonomous vehicle. The transportation system may also include a pair of roadways extending alongside each other and physically separated from each other, where a first roadway of the pair is configured for vehicle travel in a first direction and a second roadway of the pair is configured for vehicle travel in a second direction opposite the first direction, a boarding zone vertically separated from the pair of roadways, the boarding zone including a set of boarding slots configured to accept autonomous vehicles, and a mixing zone adjacent to the set of boarding slots and configured to allow vehicle access to the set of boarding slots for vehicles from the first roadway and the second roadway.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application is a non-provisional patent application of and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 423,378 entitled "Transportation System," filed November 7, 2022, and this application is a non-provisional patent application of and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 423,380 entitled "Transportation System," filed November 7, 2022, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The described embodiments relate generally to roads for vehicles, and more particularly to separated grade (elevated) roadways for autonomous vehicles. [Background technology]

[0003] Vehicles such as cars, trucks, vans, buses, and trams are prevalent in modern society. Cars, trucks, and vans are frequently used for personal transportation to transport relatively few passengers, while buses, trams, and other large vehicles are frequently used for public transportation. Vehicles may also be used for freight transport or other purposes. Such vehicles may be operated on roads, which may include pavements, bridges, highways, overpasses, or other types of vehicular rights-of-way. Driverless or autonomous vehicles may free people from having to manually operate vehicles for their transportation needs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A transportation system for autonomous vehicles may include a control system configured to determine respective vehicle trajectories for each autonomous vehicle and to provide the respective vehicle trajectories to each autonomous vehicle. The slot transportation system may also include a pair of roadways extending alongside each other and physically separated from each other, where a first roadway of the pair is configured for vehicle travel in a first direction and a second roadway of the pair is configured for vehicle travel in a second direction opposite the first direction; a boarding zone vertically separated from the pair of roadways and including a set of boarding slots configured to accept autonomous vehicles; and a mixed zone adjacent to the set of boarding slots and configured to allow vehicle access to the set of boarding slots for vehicles from the first roadway and the second roadway. The mixed zone may include a first mixed lane connected to the first roadway and a second mixed lane connected to the second roadway and positioned between the first mixed lane and the set of boarding slots. The control system may be configured to provide the vehicle with a vehicle arrival trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to enter the first mixed lane from the first roadway and cross the second mixed lane to arrive at the boarding slot. The control system may also be configured to provide the vehicle in the boarding slot with a vehicle departure trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to cross the second mixed lane to begin traveling along the first roadway.

[0005] In a first portion of the vehicle departure trajectory, the vehicle may travel toward a first end of the vehicle, and in a second portion of the vehicle departure trajectory, the vehicle may travel toward a second end of the vehicle. The pair of roadways may be elevated perpendicular to the boarding zone. The boarding zone may be at grade level, and the pair of roadways may be below grade level. The vehicle departure trajectory may define a travel path between a first moving vehicle having a first known trajectory and a second vehicle having a second known trajectory, merging the vehicle onto the first roadway. The vehicle may be a first vehicle, and the control system may be configured to generate the vehicle departure trajectory based at least in part on an existing vehicle trajectory of the second vehicle traveling along the first roadway, and the vehicle departure trajectory is configured to maintain a separation distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle along the first roadway. The first mixed traffic lane and the second mixed traffic lane may be positioned between a detour section of the first roadway and a detour section of the second roadway.

[0006] A method of operating vehicles in a transportation system including a plurality of autonomous vehicles configured to navigate autonomously along a roadway system, the method including, in a control system configured to determine a respective vehicle trajectory for each autonomous vehicle and to provide the respective vehicle trajectories to the respective autonomous vehicles, providing a first vehicle trajectory to the first vehicle, the first vehicle trajectory including instructions to autonomously navigate along the first roadway into a first buffer zone connected to a first mixed lane of a riding zone, and providing a second vehicle trajectory to the second vehicle, the second vehicle trajectory including instructions to autonomously navigate along the second roadway into a second buffer zone connected to a second mixed lane of the riding zone. The method may further include initiating a first arrival operation, the initiation including causing the first vehicle to temporarily stop in the first buffer zone and causing the second vehicle to cross a portion of the second mixed lane in a first driving direction and enter the first boarding slot, and after the first arrival operation, initiating a second arrival operation, the initiation including causing the first vehicle to cross a portion of the first mixed lane, cross a portion of the second mixed lane in a second driving direction opposite the first driving direction, and enter the second boarding slot.

[0007] The respective vehicle trajectories for each autonomous vehicle may include a minimum separation distance between the respective autonomous vehicles. The method may further include initiating a cooperative vehicle departure operation after the second arrival operation, the cooperative vehicle departure operation including providing a third vehicle trajectory to the first vehicle, the third vehicle trajectory configured to cause the first vehicle to exit the second boarding slot and travel autonomously along the second roadway, and providing a fourth vehicle trajectory to the second vehicle, the fourth vehicle trajectory configured to cause the second vehicle to exit the first boarding slot concurrently with the first vehicle exiting the second boarding slot and travel autonomously along the second roadway.

[0008] The boarding zone can be vertically separated from the first roadway and the second roadway. The boarding zone can be between a first detour section of the first roadway and a second detour section of the second roadway. The first roadway can be a first elevated roadway, the second roadway can be a second elevated roadway, the first ramp can connect the first elevated roadway to the first mixed lane, and the second ramp can connect the second elevated roadway to the second mixed lane.

[0009] A roadway system for autonomous vehicles may include a grade-level riding zone including: a first grade-level road segment configured to accept traffic traveling in a first direction; a second grade-level road segment configured to accept traffic traveling in a second direction opposite the first direction; and a set of riding slots along sides of the first grade-level road segment and accessible via the first grade-level road segment and the second grade-level road segment. The roadway system may further include a first roadway configured for traffic traveling in a first direction and including a first elevated road section, a second elevated road section, a first off-ramp joining the first elevated road section of the grade-level riding zone to the first grade-level road section, a first on-ramp joining the first grade-level road section of the grade-level riding zone to the second elevated road section, and a first elevated detour section joining the first elevated road section to the second elevated road section. The roadway system may further include a second roadway configured for traffic traveling in a second direction and including a third elevated road section, a fourth elevated road section, a second off-ramp joining the third elevated road section to the second grade-level road section of the grade-level riding zone, a second on-ramp joining the second grade-level road section of the grade-level riding zone to the fourth elevated road section, and a second elevated detour section joining the third elevated road section to the fourth elevated road section.

[0010] The first and second on-ramps and the first and second off-ramps may be between the first and second elevated detour segments. The boarding zone may lack an intersection with a road accessible by conventional vehicular traffic. The first roadway may be physically separate from the second roadway. The first on-ramp may be aligned with the second off-ramp, and the second on-ramp may be aligned with the second off-ramp. The roadway system may further include a control system configured to determine and provide respective vehicle trajectories for each autonomous vehicle, the respective vehicle trajectories for each autonomous vehicle configured to maintain a minimum separation distance between the respective autonomous vehicles. The control system may be further configured to provide the vehicle with a vehicle arrival trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to enter a first grade level road section from a first roadway and cross a second grade level road section to arrive at the boarding slot, and to provide the vehicle with a vehicle departure trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to cross the second grade level road section to begin traveling along the first roadway to the vehicle in the boarding slot. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] The present disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like structural elements, and in which: [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary transportation system. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a map of an exemplary roadway system of a transportation system. [Figure 3A] 1 illustrates a portion of an exemplary roadway system having boarding zones and vertically separated roundabout sections. [Figure 3B] 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary boarding zone and vertically separated detour section. [Figure 3C] 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary boarding zone and vertically separated detour section. [Figure 3D]1 illustrates an exemplary ride zone ramp portion having vertically separated roadway sections. [Figure 4A] 1 illustrates an exemplary riding zone with vertically separated roundabout sections. [Figure 4B] 1 illustrates an exemplary riding zone with vertically separated roundabout sections. [Figure 5A] 1 illustrates exemplary vehicle arrival and departure maneuvers defined by arrival and departure trajectories. [Figure 5B] 1 illustrates exemplary vehicle arrival and departure maneuvers defined by arrival and departure trajectories. [Figure 5C] 1 illustrates exemplary vehicle arrival and departure maneuvers defined by arrival and departure trajectories. [Figure 5D] 1 illustrates exemplary vehicle arrival and departure maneuvers defined by arrival and departure trajectories. [Figure 6A] 1 illustrates an exemplary vehicle. [Figure 6B] 1 illustrates an exemplary vehicle. [Figure 6C] 1 illustrates an exemplary vehicle. [Figure 7A] 6A-6C with the doors open. [Figure 7B] 6A-6C with the doors open. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates a partially exploded view of an exemplary vehicle. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an electrical block diagram of an electronic device that may perform the operations described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to a single preferred embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments, as defined by the appended claims.

[0013] Embodiments herein are generally directed to transportation systems in which a number of vehicles may be operated autonomously to transport passengers and / or cargo along roadways within a roadway system or roadway network. For example, a transportation system or service may provide a fleet of vehicles operating in a roadway system to pick up and drop off passengers at either pre-set locations or stops, or at dynamically selected locations (e.g., selected by a person via a smartphone).

[0014] In transportation systems such as those described herein, it may be advantageous to provide systems and techniques that facilitate efficient and safe boarding operations without disrupting traffic flow throughout the system. Furthermore, in environments where transportation systems for small autonomous vehicles are integrated with existing infrastructure, landscapes, and densely populated areas, it may be necessary to provide safe separation between the transportation system's travel lanes and other structures (e.g., roads, highways, sidewalks, walkways, etc.) to avoid obstructing or interfering with vehicular or human traffic within those areas. One solution involves vertically separating the roadway from grade level. For example, the roadway or a portion of the roadway may be positioned above or below grade. However, in some locations, it may be preferable to allow passengers to board and disembark vehicles in grade-level boarding zones. Due to the congested nature of environments in which transportation systems may be deployed, compact and efficient positioning of various roadways, roadway sections, boarding zones, and other infrastructure or other elements may contribute to the overall efficiency of the system.

[0015] For example, as described herein, a transportation system may include a pair of vertically separated roadways (e.g., elevated roadways) that run generally alongside one another. The vertically separated roadways may be independent of one another (e.g., via fences, bulkheads, roadway separations, etc.) and each may be configured for vehicle travel in a single direction (e.g., traffic in opposite directions is separated by a bulkhead). When a grade-level boarding zone is required, the roadway bifurcates around a pair of access lanes that include on-ramps and off-ramps so that vehicles on the roadway can easily merge from the roadway to access the boarding zone. The roadway includes a detour section that surrounds the access lanes and the grade-level boarding zone, so that vehicles that do not need to access the boarding zone can simply proceed along the roadway's trajectory without being delayed by vehicles accessing the boarding zone or otherwise having to wait for boarding operations. This configuration, with the grade-level boarding zone positioned between a pair of elevated detour sections, provides a very space-efficient configuration for the placement of the boarding zones while also allowing continuous traffic flow around the boarding zones.

[0016] As described herein, a boarding zone may be configured so that vehicles traveling along either roadway (e.g., in opposite directions) can access a vehicle boarding slot, and vehicles in the boarding slot can access both roadways. As such, a boarding zone may include mixed traffic lanes not limited to a single direction of vehicle travel and may be traversed by vehicles or used by vehicles for parking or departure maneuvers. To ensure that vehicles maintain safe separation distances (e.g., minimum allowable separation distances) or otherwise do not interfere with each other within the boarding zone during such operations, a system controller may provide vehicles with instructions or trajectories that coordinate the movement of multiple vehicles in the boarding zone. The vertically separated roadway and boarding zone configurations described herein allow these highly coordinated vehicle maneuvers to occur in physically separated areas (e.g., grade-level boarding zones outside of the continuous traffic flow), thereby reducing the impact of boarding operations on the continuous traffic flow along the main roadway.

[0017] In some cases, all boarding zones in a given transportation or roadway system can be bypassed by roadway sections that allow continuous flow (e.g., detour lanes), allowing passengers who do not need to access a particular boarding zone to simply bypass that boarding zone, thereby increasing system efficiency and minimizing travel times.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates an example transportation system 100 that may use the technology described herein and include the systems and infrastructure described herein. Transportation system 100 includes a control system 101 that can communicate with autonomous vehicles 108 (e.g., vehicle 108-1, ..., vehicle 108-n) of the transportation system (as well as numerous other systems, components, sensors, etc.) to facilitate operation of the transportation system. Control system 101 may include a central management system 102, one or more local management systems 104, and one or more tracking and monitoring systems 106 (although control system 101 may include or be implemented by different systems or combinations of systems). The various systems, components, computers, servers, sensors, etc. of transportation system 100 may communicate via one or more communication systems 109. While central management system 102 and local management systems 104 are shown in FIG. 1 as separate systems, these systems may be combined in some example transportation systems. More specifically, functions and / or operations described herein as being performed by or otherwise associated with the central management system 102 or the local management systems 104 may be performed by a single management system (e.g., functions of the local management systems 104 may be performed by the central management system 102). In general, the particular association between functions or operations and management systems pertains to the exemplary implementation, and in other exemplary implementations, different functions and / or operations may be associated with and / or performed by other management systems and / or control systems.

[0019] A central management system (CMS) 102 may be configured to automatically allocate resources across the network. This may include allocating vehicles to service current trip requests from users, pre-positioning vehicles at stations in anticipation of expected passenger numbers, and allocating vehicles to and / or from maintenance and storage facilities in response to vehicle conditions and current and / or expected system demand. The CMS may maintain a real-time model of the overall system situation, including the locations of all autonomous vehicles in the system and the trajectory of each vehicle. Vehicle trajectories may define the position and speed of vehicles within the transportation system as a function of time, thereby providing the CMS information about where each vehicle will be at a given time (e.g., in the future) and also providing instructions to individual vehicles on how to traverse routes within the system. More specifically, vehicle trajectories may define the location and speed of vehicles at all times as they perform trips, and the vehicles may autonomously maintain alignment with their expected location (up to an acceptable degree of deviation or error). In other words, the vehicle is configured to follow (e.g., maintain alignment with) its position and speed targets defined by the vehicle trajectory so that the vehicle is always at its expected position and speed at the expected time.

[0020] As described herein, the vehicle trajectory of each vehicle in the system may be fully collision-free. As used herein, a fully collision-free trajectory may refer to a vehicle trajectory along at least a portion of a roadway in a transportation system that does not collide with other autonomous vehicles in the system or known obstacles in the system. This allows optimal and risk-reduced operation to be achieved if each vehicle in the system moves only within the system according to a fully collision-free trajectory (e.g., a trajectory that avoids the trajectories of all other vehicles and takes into account where the vehicle is along its route at any given time).

[0021] CMS 102 may also facilitate both automated and human monitoring of the entire transportation system 100. For example, CMS 102 may receive information from other systems or components of transportation system 100 (e.g., vehicles, sensors, tracking and monitoring systems 106, local management systems 104, etc.) and make adjustments to the system as needed.

[0022] In some cases, CMS 102 receives trip requests (and optionally other information) from users of the system. The trip request may include information such as the requester's identity, a departure location (e.g., a pickup zone or other location where the user will be picked up), a destination location (e.g., a pickup zone or other location where the user will be dropped off), and, optionally, a requested vehicle arrival time (e.g., the time the vehicle should arrive at the departure location). The trip request may be transmitted to CMS 102 via a smartphone, a kiosk (e.g., a pickup zone or other location), a computer, a traditional phone, a wearable device, or any other suitable device and / or communication technology. CMS 102 may include one or more electronic devices, such as a computer system, such as electronic device 900 described with respect to FIG. 9.

[0023] In some cases, the control system 101 may include one or more local management systems (LMS) 104. The LMS 104 may coordinate and control vehicle movement within localized system contexts (e.g., boarding zones, maintenance and storage facilities, roadway sections, etc.). Within those contexts, the LMS 104 may coordinate movement within mixed zones or mixed lanes (e.g., in boarding zones). The LMS 104 may provide and request continuous signals to vehicles needed to grant movement authority, coordinate motion within mixed zones or mixed lanes, and monitor and enforce safety invariants (e.g., monitor and enforce safe vehicle separation). In some cases, the functions of the LMS 104 may be performed by the CMS 102 (or another suitable system or device). In some cases, the LMS 104 may be understood as a service instantiated by another system or device, such as the CMS 102. In some cases, multiple LMSs 104 may be distributed among various zones, areas, facilities, or other physical or logical system schematics.

[0024] The control system 101 may also include one or more tracking and monitoring systems (TMS) 106. The tracking and monitoring systems 106 may be positioned at various locations within the transportation system, including along roadways, boarding zones, storage and maintenance facilities, etc. The TMS 106 may include sensing systems for detecting various conditions and events within the system. The sensing systems may include high-resolution (e.g., 0.2-2 mrad), low-latency (<100 ms), long-range (>600 ft) tri-band redundant sensing systems (lidar, radar, camera), and two-handed redundant wireless communication systems. The TMS 106 may provide automatic system monitoring, including automatic vehicle monitoring and automatic intrusion detection, and may monitor for and provide low-latency responses to any violations of system safety invariants. In some cases, the tracking and monitoring systems 106 may be deployed at intervals along the roadway, such as every 140-320 feet along the roadway. The particular intervals may depend on geographic conditions, roadway characteristics (e.g., straight vs. turning vs. elevation changes), etc. Tracking and monitoring systems 106 may also be deployed in boarding zones, maintenance and storage facilities, etc. In some cases, every location in the transportation system that allows vehicle travel may include one or more TMS 106.

[0025] Transportation system 100 also includes vehicles 108. Vehicles 108 may be autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles specially designed for use with transportation system 100. One exemplary type of vehicle 108 is described with respect to FIGS. 6A-8B , although other types of vehicles may be included instead of or in addition to those described herein. Vehicles 108 may be configured to operate individually and at least semi-autonomously according to a particular vehicle control strategy established for a particular roadway segment and / or other transportation system infrastructure. While certain aspects of vehicle operation may be fully controlled by the vehicle itself, other aspects may be controlled and / or determined more generally by CMS 102 or control system 101. For example, CMS 102 may provide a fully collision-avoided vehicle trajectory to vehicle 108, and the vehicle may perform vehicle operations (e.g., steering, accelerating, braking, etc.) to maintain alignment with the position target defined by the trajectory (while simultaneously monitoring and considering safety issues such as obstacles, roadway, or environmental conditions).

[0026] As mentioned above, transportation system 100 may provide various ways for users to request and modify ride requests. For example, kiosks may be provided in ride zones (or other locations) where users can schedule, pay, and optionally modify ride requests. The kiosks may include touchscreen displays (or other types of displays and / or user interface systems) that can provide information to and accept input from users. In some cases, the kiosks may provide information about how to use the kiosk to request a ride (and / or about other aspects of the transportation system), such as by presenting audio and / or video tutorials, instructions, etc.

[0027] An exemplary ride scheduling operation at a kiosk will be described to illustrate exemplary functionality of the kiosk. A user may initiate a kiosk interaction, such as by touching or tapping on a touchscreen display. In response, the kiosk may display a map of potential destinations within the transportation system. A list of these destinations with costs and average ride times may also be displayed. In response to the user tapping a destination (and optionally after the user confirms the destination), the CMS 102 may initiate a ride for that user, as described herein.

[0028] In some cases, after selecting (and optionally confirming) a destination, a credential item may be associated with the user and / or the trip request. The credential item may be a mobile phone, a smartwatch, a key fob, or any other device or item that can be used by the system to identify the user (e.g., via optical recognition, a short-range wireless system, etc.). In some cases, the credential item may be a multi-function card possessed by the user or a credential card provided to the user (e.g., via a kiosk). The credential card may be capable of wireless communication via a short-range communication system, etc. The credential item may enable the user to identify themselves to various components in the system (e.g., a kiosk, an assigned vehicle) and may be used by the transportation system to initiate certain actions in response to a scan or other identification of the credential card (e.g., to open the vehicle doors when the user arrives, close the vehicle doors when the user boards, etc.).

[0029] After a destination is selected, the user may be prompted to provide payment for the ride. Payment may be provided via a payment account associated with the user or directly through the kiosk (e.g., via a payment card, cash, digital wallet, wireless payment device, etc.). After a trip is requested and the user makes payment, the system will associate the trip with the user within the system. The system may also assign a ride slot to the trip and display the ride slot identifier to the user (e.g., on the kiosk, on the user's device, etc.).

[0030] When the user arrives at the assigned boarding slot, the user may identify themselves to the waiting vehicle, such as by scanning a credential item, ticket, etc. Upon determining that the user has arrived for the associated trip (and associated with that boarding slot and / or vehicle), the vehicle doors may open and the trip may begin.

[0031] The kiosks may also be used to modify or cancel a ride. For example, a user may scan their credential card, device, ticket, etc. at the kiosk and make changes directly through the user interface. In some cases, the system may assign a different boarding slot to the modified trip request and notify the user of the new boarding slot.

[0032] Rides may also be requested, modified, and otherwise managed via an application on a device such as a mobile phone, smartwatch, or the like. The process may be substantially similar to that provided by a kiosk. The application may also provide access to customer support, tutorials, instructions, and the like. As mentioned herein, a user's mobile phone or other electronic device may be used as a credential item, allowing a user to conduct an entire ride using their mobile phone, including to request a ride, pay for the ride, confirm ride details, and identify themselves to the vehicle and / or other system components.

[0033] When a user enters the vehicle for a ride, the door closing operation may be initiated. Once initiated, the vehicle may provide an indication (e.g., audio and / or visual indication) that the doors are closing, optionally including a countdown to door closing. The user may pause the door closing at any time (e.g., via a vehicle or device user interface) or may otherwise request that the doors be reopened.

[0034] Once the doors are closed, the vehicle may begin the trip, including indicating to the system that it is ready to depart and accepting a fully collision-avoided trajectory (including departure maneuvers, as described herein). During the ride, a progress bar or other trip progress information (e.g., a moving display on a map of the roadway system) may be displayed to the user via the vehicle's user interface and / or on the user's device. During the ride, the user may access customer support via the vehicle or the user's mobile phone or other device.

[0035] A transportation system may allow for both individual and shared rides, where the transportation system allows different users who are not part of the same party to share a vehicle to the same destination. Shared rides may have different pricing schedules and may help reduce wait times during times of high system demand. In some cases, users must choose a shared ride and can always request an individual ride instead. In some cases, shared ride options are only available at certain times, origin locations, and / or destination locations.

[0036] If a ride-pooling option is available, the user may be presented with the option to select a ride-pooling option after selecting the origin and destination (e.g., at a kiosk or via a device application). In some cases, the user is displayed an estimated wait time for the individual ride and ride-pooling option services. In response to the user selecting a ride-pooling option, the user is directed to a specific ride slot to which other passengers going to the same destination are also directed. This ride slot may be dedicated to ride-pooling to a single destination to simplify the boarding process.

[0037] In dedicated boarding slots, passengers wait until a spot becomes available in a vehicle and board the vehicle when it is their turn. Notably, users are not assigned to specific vehicles. Thus, each passenger can decide whether to board any given vehicle and can simply wait for another available vehicle slot. In this way, each passenger has complete freedom over their own ride and the passengers with whom they share a ride.

[0038] Each passenger in the vehicle may identify themselves to the vehicle (e.g., via a credential item), and when the vehicle is at capacity or there is no room for additional passengers (e.g., due to luggage, strollers, etc.), one of the riding users may initiate a door closing action (e.g., via a vehicle user interface, device application, etc.) and begin the trip. At any time, if a passenger wishes to end their shared ride, they may initiate an end action (e.g., via a vehicle user interface, device application, etc.), which will cause the vehicle to stop at the next available boarding zone or other exit point (or open the doors if the vehicle is still at the departure location) and allow the passenger to exit.

[0039] 2 illustrates a map 200 of a roadway system 202 of a transportation system (e.g., transportation system 100). Roadway system 202 may include roadways along which vehicles may travel and may include a first endpoint 204 and a second endpoint 206. While a single point-to-point roadway system 202 is illustrated, this is merely for the sake of simplicity, and the roadway system 202 of a transportation system may be more complex than that shown in FIG. 2. For example, the roadway system may generally include multiple roadways that may intersect, diverge, and / or merge with each other to form roadway system 202.

[0040] As described herein, a roadway system such as roadway system 202 may include a pair of roadways, each configured for traffic traveling in a single direction (e.g., each roadway configured for traffic traveling in the opposite direction from its adjacent roadway). The pair of roadways thereby allows vehicles to travel in both directions along roadway system 202, with each roadway being used only for vehicular traffic in a single direction. As mentioned, a roadway system may include more roadways, and roadway system 202 (which may include two roadways extending between endpoints) is merely illustrative. In some cases, any portion of a roadway system between two points (e.g., a boarding zone, storage facility, or other destination in the transportation system) may include two (and optionally more than two) roadways configured to travel in opposite directions. As described herein, a roadway or portion of a roadway may be vertically separated from grade level (e.g., elevated above grade or located below grade).

[0041] A pair of roadways may be positioned alongside one another and may be physically independent from one another. For example, opposing roadways may be separated by a fence, wall, bulkhead, or any other suitable physical separation technique. In some cases, opposing roadways include physically separate road surfaces (e.g., in the case of an elevated roadway, each roadway may be separated by an air gap, as well as a bulkhead, wall, fence, etc.). Physical independence may help ensure safe separation of vehicles traveling in opposite directions and may simplify the types of vehicle movements and / or maneuvers required to safely navigate roadway system 202.

[0042] The roadway system 202 may include a boarding zone 208. The boarding zone 208 may include a boarding slot configured to accept the autonomous vehicle 108. The boarding slot may provide a parking location for the vehicle 108 where passengers can enter and exit the vehicle. The boarding zone may be configured for convenient access by passengers. For example, the boarding zone may be positioned at grade level, and the boarding platform may be flush with the vehicle floor.

[0043] Roadway system 202 may be separated from conventional vehicular traffic and, in some cases, may not have intersections with roads that are accessible by conventional vehicular traffic. In some cases, this may be achieved by vertically separating a portion of roadway system 202 from conventional roads, so that conventional vehicles do not have vehicular access to roadway system 202.

[0044] As described herein, roadways may provide pathways for vehicular traffic traveling between destinations. To provide efficient and rapid transportation along roadways, it may be beneficial to configure a transportation system so that travel along the roadways is not interrupted by boarding zones, intersections, crossing traffic, etc. Such efficiency may be achieved, in part, by vertically separating roadways from other infrastructure (e.g., existing roads, sidewalks, parks, rights-of-way, etc.). However, as mentioned above, when roadways are vertically separated, passenger access may be limited or impeded. As such, boarding zones may be located at grade level. However, such vertical separation between boarding zones and roadways requires that infrastructure be provided to allow elevated (or submerged) roadways to access the grade-level boarding zones. Furthermore, due to the dense environments in which roadways and boarding zones are often deployed, as well as for cost and overall system efficiency, it may be advantageous to provide such infrastructure and functionality in a small, space-efficient footprint. Thus, this specification describes an arrangement for a roadway system with vertically separated roadways and boarding zones that allows convenient access for boarding and alighting passengers, as well as space-efficient access from traffic in both directions to the boarding zones, and space-efficient access (in both directions) from vehicles within the boarding zones to the roadway sections.

[0045] FIG. 3A illustrates an example portion of a roadway system 301 in an example boarding zone 208. As shown, the portion of the roadway system 301 includes a boarding zone 208 that is vertically separated from a pair of roadways 300. The pair of roadways 300 generally extend alongside one another and are physically separated from one another (e.g., by open space, a fence, a guardrail, a bulkhead, a wall, etc.). The pair of roadways 300 includes a first roadway 300-1 configured for vehicles to travel in a first direction and a second roadway 300-2 configured for vehicles to travel in a second direction opposite the first direction. More specifically, the transportation system may be configured to generate only vehicle trajectories that are compatible with a predetermined traffic direction for each roadway. In some cases, additional levels of redundancy and safety-critical features may be provided to ensure that vehicles do not travel contrary to the predetermined traffic direction. For example, the vehicles themselves may include sensors (e.g., GPS, optical sensors, position sensors, etc.) that determine whether they have entered or are about to enter a roadway against a predetermined traffic direction, and take some action in response to the determination (e.g., stop, change direction, issue a signal to another system such as a CMS, LMS, or monitoring system, issue a signal to another vehicle, etc.) As another example, an LMS or monitoring system may detect when a vehicle has entered or is about to enter a roadway against a predetermined traffic direction, and take appropriate action in response to the determination (e.g., stop one or more vehicles, change direction, etc.).

[0046] The boarding zone 208 may include a set of boarding slots 306 configured to accept autonomous vehicles. The boarding slots 306 may also allow passengers access to the vehicles to facilitate boarding and disembarking. The boarding zone 208 may be grade-level, as described herein, to provide convenient grade-level access for passengers. The boarding slots 306 may be oriented at a non-perpendicular angle to the mixed traffic lane, which may facilitate easy access to the vehicles by passengers boarding and disembarking.

[0047] The boarding zone 208 may also include a vehicle mix zone 304 adjacent to a set of boarding slots 306. The vehicle mix zone 304 may be configured to allow vehicle access to the set of boarding slots 306 for vehicles from both the first roadway 300-1 and the second roadway 300-2. More particularly, as described herein, the mixed zone 304 may include a first mixed lane connected to the first roadway and a second mixed lane connected to the second roadway. A mixed lane may be a grade-level road section that is configured to accommodate traffic traveling in a given direction but allows vehicles to travel in multiple directions to facilitate arrival and departure maneuvers (as defined by arrival and departure trajectories).

[0048] A mixed zone 304 is one of the limited locations within a transportation system where vehicles may travel in multiple directions, thereby allowing different vehicle control strategies to be applied within those areas (e.g., vehicle speeds may be lower within mixed zones than within continuous travel lanes). While configurations may be implemented that maintain traffic direction restrictions (e.g., so that multidirectional lanes or areas do not exist), such configurations may be less efficient for passenger access and space utilization. Thus, the mixed zones described herein provide a high degree of operational and geographic efficiency. Furthermore, a high degree of safety can be achieved by limiting the areas within a transportation system where vehicles can perform multidirectional maneuvers, cross oncoming traffic lanes, etc.

[0049] FIG. 3A also illustrates a particular configuration of roadways that provides vertical separation between roadways 300 and boarding zones 208 while also providing highly efficient use of space, allowing traffic along the roadways to continue unimpeded by the boarding zones and vehicles utilizing the boarding zones. In particular, the mixed zone is positioned between two elevated detour sections (e.g., when viewed from above) and is accessed by a pair of ramps 316 joining each roadway 300 to the boarding zones 208. The ramps 316 are also positioned between the detour sections such that the detour sections deviate from the path of the main roadway portion of roadway 300 by approximately two lane widths. The ramps of each pair of ramps may be positioned alongside each other and may include physical barriers (e.g., walls, barricades, fences, etc.) to enforce physical separation of the ramps and vehicles on the ramps. A merge zone may also be included where the elevated roadways join the ramps to allow vehicles traveling along roadway 300 to safely exit the continuous flow region of the roadway and slow down before traversing the ramps. As described in more detail herein, the mixed traffic lanes provide a wide area for vehicles to maneuver within the boarding zone 208 and allow vehicles entering and exiting from either traffic direction to easily access the mixed zone 304.

[0050] FIG. 3A also illustrates the configuration of mixed lanes 305-1, 305-2 within the mixed zone 304. The mixed lanes 305-1, 305-2 are positioned alongside (e.g., parallel to) each other, with the mixed lane 305-2 positioned between the boarding slot 306 and the other mixed lane 305-1. The mixed lanes 305 may not be physically separate or separated. As such, vehicles may be able to cross a mixed lane (e.g., mixed lane 305-2) when entering or leaving the boarding slot 306. The connected mixed lanes 305-1, 305-2 also provide more room for vehicles to perform arrival and departure maneuvers (e.g., relative to a boarding zone having a single lane). While the mixed lanes 305 are not physically separate from each other, the configuration of multiple parallel mixed lanes may help minimize or reduce the extent to which vehicles need to cross lanes of traffic not dedicated to a single direction. For example, both roadway segments 310 may, in some cases, converge into a single multi-directional lane at the boarding zone, but such a configuration would require vehicles to cross the same stretch of road that is also used for oncoming traffic. By providing multiple mixed lanes alongside each other, the amount of two-way vehicle movement in a single lane can be minimized. For example, multiple mixed lanes allow vehicle traffic from multiple directions direct access to the boarding zone, allow room for arrival and departure maneuvers, and allow departing vehicles to access the roadway in either direction, all reducing or minimizing the amount of lane sharing, lane crossing, merging, etc.

[0051] 3B is a top view of a portion of a roadway system 301. FIG. 3B illustrates example traffic directions along roadways 300-1 and 300-2 and within merge zones 314-1 and 314-2. As mentioned herein, a transportation system (e.g., a CMS of a transportation system) may enforce these traffic directions by only providing vehicle trajectories that match the traffic directions.

[0052] Figure 3B also illustrates the relative positioning of the various sections of the roadway system. In particular, roadways 300-1, 300-2 may include elevated roadway sections 310-1, 310-2, which join elevated detour sections 303-1, 303-2, respectively. This allows elevated roadway section 310 to swing outward (e.g., through detour section 303) to provide space for merge zone 314, ramp 316, and mixed zone 304 (including mixed lanes 305-1, 305-2). In some cases, all of the roadway sections of the boarding zone (e.g., ramps and mixed lanes) may be within detour section 303 (when viewed from above). This, as shown below, provides a very space-efficient design, allowing full access to and from the boarding zone for vehicles coming from any direction. Additionally, in some cases, the boarding slots 306 may be positioned directly beneath (and optionally within the outer edge of) an elevated detour section, which may result in the entire boarding zone area occupying less than four lanes wide in some cases, further reducing the required grade level area (e.g., for boarding zones with boarding slots along only one side of a mixed zone).

[0053] 3C illustrates a portion 301 of a roadway system and how vehicles can be routed to either a detour section or a boarding zone depending on the vehicle trajectory defined by the CMS (or other controller of the transportation system). For example, vehicle 311 may travel along road segment 310-1 of roadway 300-1 in the direction in which that roadway is configured in the transportation system. In one exemplary scenario, the trajectory of vehicle 311 causes the vehicle to continue along detour section 303-1 of roadway 300-1 by navigating around merge area 314-1. In this way, vehicles that do not need to stop at boarding zone 208 are not impeded by boarding zones or vehicles accessing the boarding zones. In a second exemplary scenario in which vehicle 311 needs to access boarding zone 208 (e.g., to deliver and / or pick up a passenger), the trajectory of vehicle 311 may cause the vehicle to exit roadway 300-1 at merge zone 314-1, after which vehicle 311 may perform a commanded arrival maneuver to traverse an off-ramp in ramp zone 316-1 and arrive at its assigned boarding slot.

[0054] Similarly, vehicle 313 may travel along road segment 310-2 of roadway 300-2 in the direction in which the roadway is configured in the transportation system (e.g., opposite roadway 300-1). In one exemplary scenario, vehicle 313's trajectory has the vehicle continue along detour segment 303-2 of roadway 300-2 by navigating around merge area 314-2. In this way, vehicles that do not need to stop at boarding zone 208 are not impeded by the boarding zone or vehicles accessing the boarding zone. In a second exemplary scenario in which vehicle 313 needs to access boarding zone 208 (e.g., to deliver and / or pick up a passenger), vehicle 313's trajectory may have the vehicle exit roadway 300-2 at merge zone 314-2, after which vehicle 313 may perform a commanded arrival maneuver to traverse an off-ramp in ramp zone 316-2 and arrive at its assigned boarding slot.

[0055] In a departure maneuver, vehicles may exit their assigned boarding slot, traverse the on-ramp corresponding to the commanded vehicle travel direction (defined by the vehicle's assigned trajectory), and merge onto the appropriate roadway. Exemplary arrival and departure maneuvers are described herein with respect to Figures 5A-5D.

[0056] In some cases, roadways and boarding zones may physically separate vehicles traveling in different directions everywhere except in mixed zones, so that, for example, fences, bulkheads, walls, gaps, etc. may extend along road segments, merge zones, and ramp zones to separate traffic in different directions.

[0057] 3D illustrates a side view of vehicle 313 entering boarding zone 208 from road segment 310-2 before traversing off-ramp 317 (which is part of ramp zone 316-2). In some cases, the shape of the ramp (e.g., off-ramp 317, which may have the same or similar shape as other ramps in the transportation system) and vehicle trajectory may be configured to achieve certain kinematic criteria. For example, the particular profile (e.g., shape, contour, radius, length, etc.) of ramp transition 320, as well as the overall ramp (e.g., length, grade angle, etc.), may be configured so that the vehicle remains within a set of kinematic criteria as it traverses ramp 317. Exemplary kinematic criteria for a vehicle may include, but are not limited to, acceleration, jerk, snap, pitch, roll, and velocity.

[0058] Because a control system (e.g., CMS 102) can determine the trajectory for each vehicle in the system, the control system can ultimately control the vehicle's kinematics as it traverses the roadway. Thus, in the context of off-ramps and on-ramps in a boarding zone, the vehicle trajectories of vehicles using the ramps to exit and enter the boarding zone can be configured to cause the vehicles to achieve target kinematics (e.g., stay within certain thresholds of vehicle kinematics).

[0059] The preceding description of vertically separated boarding zones focuses on one example in which the roadways accessing the boarding zone are elevated, the detour section is elevated, and the boarding zone is at grade. However, the same or similar design principles may apply to other configurations of vertical separation. For example, FIG. 4A illustrates an example portion 400 of a transportation system as described herein, in which the boarding zone 406 (with mixed traffic lanes 402) is located at grade level, the primary roadway section 409 is located at grade level, and the detour section 404 is located below grade level (and accessible by ramp 408). This configuration may have generally the same layout as portion 301 of the system shown in FIGS. 3A-3C , with the detour section extending around the perimeter of the boarding zone (when viewed from above), but the detour section being below grade rather than above grade.

[0060] 4B illustrates an example portion 410 of a transportation system as described herein, with boarding zone 416 (with mixed lanes 412) located at grade level, primary roadway section 419 located below grade level, and detour section 414 also located below grade level. In this case, boarding zone 416 is accessible by ramp 418. This configuration may have generally the same layout as portion 301 of the system shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, with the detour section extending around the perimeter of the boarding zone (when viewed from above), but the detour section being below grade rather than above grade.

[0061] In all of the example riding zones described herein, the detour segments are shown and / or described as generally straight sections, but this need not be the case. For example, to further reduce the required area of ​​the roadway and riding zone area, the detour lanes may reconverge after the merge zone (e.g., to the same or similar separation distance as other non-riding zone locations), further narrowing the overall required area of ​​the roadway. In other examples, vertically separated road segments and / or detour segments may have non-parallel or otherwise non-compatible configurations. For example, in a given riding zone, the detour segment for one traffic direction may curve around a tree, building, or other structure, while the detour segment for the other traffic direction may run straight.

[0062] Additionally, although this application illustrates ride zone areas in which both detour sections of roadway are elevated or submerged, in some cases, one detour section may be vertically separated from the ride zone (e.g., submerged or elevated to provide grade-level passenger access to the ride zone along at least one side of the ride zone), while the other detour section may be at grade. As another example, one detour section may be elevated and another may be submerged. Other configurations are also contemplated, including configurations with multiple roadways and multiple detour sections.

[0063] As described herein, vehicles may perform arrival and departure maneuvers in a boarding zone to arrive at and depart from a boarding slot. The maneuvers may include crossing one or more mixed lanes and changing vehicle direction one or more times and may be defined by a vehicle trajectory provided to the vehicle (e.g., from a control system such as CMS 102). For example, a vehicle arriving at a boarding zone from a roadway may be provided with a vehicle arrival trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to enter a first mixed lane from a first roadway and cross a second mixed lane to arrive at the boarding slot. As another example, a vehicle in a boarding slot may be provided with a vehicle departure trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to cross a second mixed lane to begin traveling along the first roadway. As mentioned above, because the vehicle trajectories are fully collision-avoidant (e.g., the vehicle trajectories are pre-configured to maintain safe separation between vehicles throughout all vehicle movements and maneuvers), vehicles can safely perform arrival and departure maneuvers even when they may cross mixed lanes that are otherwise accessible by vehicles traveling in different directions. In the unlikely event that a collision avoidance trajectory fails to avoid a collision, the vehicle may use active sensing, planning, and control to avoid the incident.

[0064] The transportation system may also be configured to coordinate arrival and departure maneuvers of multiple vehicles so that vehicles performing similar maneuvers (e.g., arriving from a particular roadway, departing to a particular roadway, etc.) are synchronized. Figures 5A-5D illustrate example coordinated arrival and departure maneuvers as described herein, illustrating how such maneuvers may be performed in a boarding zone with a multi-lane mixed zone.

[0065] FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary arrival operation in a boarding zone 500 for a set of vehicles 506 arriving from roadway 502-2. Boarding zone 500 may be an embodiment of a boarding zone described herein or may otherwise represent a boarding zone described herein. In boarding zone 500, a buffer zone 501 may be provided to allow multiple vehicles to temporarily stop while arrival and / or departure operations occur in mixed zone 505. Buffer zone 501 may be provided in any boarding zone and may be positioned in various locations outside of continuous traffic lanes. Thus, for example, a buffer zone may be provided between a merge zone (where vehicles enter and exit a continuous-flow road segment) and the mixed lanes of a boarding zone. The size of buffer zone 501 (e.g., the number of vehicles that can be accommodated in the buffer zone) may vary and may depend, at least in part, on the expected use of the boarding zone, the number of boarding slots in the boarding zone, etc.

[0066] The buffer zone 501 may be configured for one-way travel only, such that under normal operating conditions, vehicles travel through the buffer zone only in the same direction as the roadway from which they extend. In some cases, the vehicle trajectories of vehicles traveling along the roadway system may direct the vehicles to end their trajectory at the buffer zone and wait for further vehicle trajectories (e.g., from a control system such as CMS 102) to define the vehicle's maneuver to a parking spot. The control system may provide appropriate vehicle trajectories for one or more vehicles waiting in the buffer zone. In some cases, a single trajectory of the vehicles may provide a complete route from the origin pick-up slot to the destination pick-up slot without requiring updates or additional trajectory information to reach the pick-up slot from the buffer zone.

[0067] When deemed safe to do so by a control system (e.g., CMS 102, LMS 104, etc.), one or more vehicles 506 are provided with an arrival trajectory that causes the vehicles to perform a turn-change maneuver to move into the mixed zone 505 and, optionally, into an assigned boarding slot 510. When vehicles 506 are arriving from the roadway along the same side as the boarding slot 510, vehicles 506 can perform their arrival maneuver entirely within the mixed lane 507-2 that is continuous with their original roadway section, and therefore do not cross any mixed lanes.

[0068] As referred to herein, vehicles can operate bidirectionally. For example, vehicles in a transportation system such as those described herein can be substantially symmetrical, such that the vehicles lack a visually or mechanically distinct front or rear. Furthermore, the wheels can be controlled independently enough (for both propulsion and steering) that the vehicles can operate functionally identically regardless of which end of the vehicle is facing the direction of travel. This symmetrical design can simplify arrival and departure operations, as the system can treat whichever side of the vehicle can most easily be oriented in the intended direction of travel as the front of the vehicle.

[0069] As mentioned above, a transportation system may be configured to minimize the extent to which vehicles performing different maneuvers or arriving from or departing on different roadways are present in a mixed zone at the same time. Figure 5A illustrates an example in which vehicle 504 is arriving or has arrived via roadway 502-1 at approximately the same time as vehicle 506 (or when the arrival of vehicles 504, 506 needs to be coordinated to minimize interference). In this example, to maintain safe separation between vehicles in the mixed zone, vehicle 504 arriving at boarding zone 500 from the opposite direction as vehicle 506 may be instructed to pause (indicated by stop icon 503) in buffer zone 501-1 while vehicle 506 performs an arrival maneuver (e.g., while vehicle 506 crosses mixed lane 507-2 in a first direction of travel and then reverses direction of travel to enter a boarding slot). If additional vehicles arrive while other vehicles are crossing the mixed zone 505, the additional vehicles may wait in the buffer zone with other vehicles already waiting.

[0070] FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary departure maneuver for vehicle 506 within boarding zone 500. In this example, vehicle 506-1 and vehicle 506-3 may be assigned to a trip that includes traveling in the same direction (e.g., opposite directions of travel) along roadway 502-1, while vehicle 506-2 may be assigned to a trip that includes traveling along roadway 502-2. When vehicles 506-1 and 506-3 are ready to depart, vehicles 506-1 and 506-3 may be provided with a departure trajectory (which may be part of their overall trip trajectory) that causes vehicles 506-1, 506-3 to exit their boarding slots, cross mixed lane 507-2, and begin traveling along roadway 502-1. As shown in FIG. 5B, vehicles 506-1, 506-3 may change direction to quickly orient the vehicles so that the end of the vehicle closest to the direction of travel is the leading (e.g., front) end of the vehicle. For example, in a first portion of the vehicle departure trajectory, the vehicle travels toward the first end of the vehicle, and in a second portion of the vehicle departure trajectory, the vehicle travels toward the second end of the vehicle. (It will be understood that different maneuvers and turn changes, or no turn changes, may be used depending on the particular configuration of the boarding slot 510, the size of the vehicle, the size of the mixed lane, the travel directions assigned to the roadway and mixed lane, etc.)

[0071] As described herein, a vehicle trajectory can define a vehicle's complete collision-free trip so that, under normal operating conditions, the vehicle does not need to individually determine how to perform certain maneuvers, such as departing, arriving, and merging. For example, in some cases, a vehicle departure trajectory not only defines maneuvers in a boarding zone, but also defines a travel path that merges the vehicle into a roadway between other vehicles with existing vehicle trajectories (e.g., between a first moving vehicle having a first known trajectory and a second vehicle having a second known trajectory). Because vehicles on a roadway are following trajectories assigned to them by a transportation system (e.g., CMS 102), and the trajectories define their vehicle positions on the roadway with respect to time, CMS 102 can also provide the departing vehicle with a complete collision-free trajectory that safely integrates with the trajectory of the moving vehicle. Generally, transportation system 100 is configured to generate a vehicle departure trajectory based at least in part on one or more existing vehicle trajectories of one or more second vehicles traveling along a roadway, and the vehicle departure trajectory is configured to maintain a separation distance between the departing vehicle and the one or more second vehicles along the first roadway.

[0072] As shown in Figure 5B, vehicle 504 (which may be the same vehicle or a different vehicle, as shown in Figure 5A) is kept within buffer zone 501-1 and outside mixing zone 505 while the departure maneuver is being performed. In this way, safe separation of vehicles that are on different tracks and that need to perform different maneuvers within mixing zone 505 is maintained.

[0073] 5C illustrates an exemplary departure maneuver for vehicle 506-2 that may be assigned to a trip that includes traveling along roadway 502-2. In this maneuver, vehicle 506-2 simply exits its boarding slot and begins traveling along mixed lane 507-2 and roadway 502-2 without any direction changes or crossings of mixed lanes.

[0074] 5D illustrates an exemplary arrival maneuver for vehicle 504 arriving from roadway 502-1. In this example, once mixed zone 505 is clear (and a boarding slot becomes available), vehicle 504 may be provided with an arrival trajectory that causes the vehicle to enter mixed zone 505 (e.g., mixed lane 507-1), cross mixed lane 507-2 between mixed lane 507-1 and boarding slot 510, and enter its assigned boarding slot. This causes vehicle 504 to cross a portion of first mixed lane 507-1 and a portion of second mixed lane 507-2. In particular, when crossing the portion of second mixed lane 507-1, it crosses in a second direction of travel that is opposite the direction of travel of vehicle 504's arrival maneuver. Thus, the mixed lane 507 is configured to allow travel in multiple, opposing, or intersecting directions, but the traffic system ensures that vehicles can safely occupy and use the mixed lane 507.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 5D, based on the driving direction of vehicle 504 and the orientation of boarding slot 510, the arrival maneuver of vehicle 504 may not include any change of direction, although it will be understood that different maneuvers and direction changes, or no change of direction at all, may be used depending on the particular configuration of boarding slot 510, the size of the vehicle, the size of the mixed lane, the driving direction assigned to the roadway and mixed lane, etc.

[0076] In some cases, arrival and / or departure maneuvers from vehicles arriving or departing from different roadways may occur simultaneously while still maintaining a safe separation distance between the vehicles. For example, a departure operation similar to that shown in FIG. 5C may occur substantially simultaneously with, or otherwise overlap in time with, a portion of an arrival operation similar to that shown in FIG. 5D. More specifically, lead vehicle 504-1 of vehicles 504 may be assigned an arrival trajectory that does not overlap or intersect with the departure trajectory of vehicle 506-2. In such a case, lead vehicle 504-1 may be instructed to cross the arrival trajectory of lead vehicle 504-1 simultaneously with or overlapping vehicle 506-2, which crosses the departure trajectory of vehicle 506-2 (although other vehicles 504 may be instructed to wait, as their trajectories may overlap with the trajectory of departing vehicle 506-2). Other trajectories may be performed in an overlapping or simultaneous manner based on whether the arrival and departure trajectories overlap or whether the arrival and departure trajectories can be performed simultaneously or overlapping while maintaining a safe separation distance.

[0077] The transportation systems described herein may be configured such that multiple vehicles operate autonomously to transport passengers and / or cargo along a roadway system. For example, a transportation system or transportation service may provide a fleet of vehicles operating within a roadway system. Vehicles in such transportation systems may be configured to operate autonomously, such as according to one or more vehicle strategies as described herein (e.g., by following fully collision-free trajectories assigned to facilitate transportation and boarding operations, among other possible vehicle operations / maneuvers). As used herein, the term "autonomous" may refer to a mode or manner in which a vehicle can operate without continuous manual control by a human operator. For example, an unmanned vehicle may navigate along a roadway using an automated driving and steering system that controls the vehicle's speed and direction. In some cases, the vehicle may not require steering, speed, or direction control from passengers and may exclude controls such as accelerator and brake pedals, a steering wheel, and other manual controls accessible to passengers. In some cases, the vehicle may include manual driving controls that may be used for maintenance, emergency override, etc. Such controls may be hidden, housed, or otherwise not directly accessible by the user during normal vehicle operation. For example, they may be designed to be accessed only by trained operators, maintenance personnel, etc.

[0078] Autonomous operation need not exclude all human or manual operation of a vehicle or the transportation system as a whole. For example, a human operator may be able to intervene in the operation of a vehicle for safety, convenience, testing, or other purposes. Such intervention may be local to the vehicle, such as when a human driver takes control of the vehicle, or may be remote from the vehicle, such as when an operator sends commands to the vehicle via a remote control system. Similarly, some aspects of the vehicle may be controlled by passengers in the vehicle. For example, passengers in the vehicle may select target destinations, routes, speeds, and control door and / or window operation. Thus, it should be understood that the terms “autonomous” and “autonomous operation” do not necessarily exclude all human intervention or operation of individual vehicles or the transportation system as a whole.

[0079] Vehicles in a transportation system may include various sensors, cameras, communication systems, processors, and / or other components or systems that help facilitate autonomous operation. For example, vehicles may include a sensor array that detects magnets or other markers embedded in the roadway and helps the vehicles determine the location, position, and / or orientation of the vehicles on the roadway. The vehicles may also include a wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication system, such as an optical communication system, that allows the vehicles to notify each other of operating parameters such as the vehicle's braking status, the number of vehicles ahead in the convoy, acceleration status, the vehicle's upcoming maneuver (e.g., right turn, left turn, planned stop), and the number or type of vehicle payload (e.g., people or cargo). The vehicles may also include a wireless communication system to facilitate communication with a transportation system controller that has supervisory command and control authority over the transportation system.

[0080] Vehicles in a transportation system may be designed to improve the operation and convenience of the transportation system. For example, a primary goal of a transportation system may be to provide comfortable, convenient, fast, and efficient personal transportation. To provide personal comfort, vehicles may be designed for easy ingress and egress for passengers and may have comfortable seating arrangements with ample leg and headroom. Vehicles may also have sophisticated suspension systems that provide a comfortable ride and dynamically adjustable parameters to help keep the vehicle level and positioned at a convenient height and ensure a comfortable ride across a range of variable load weights.

[0081] Conventional personal automobiles are primarily designed to operate in only one direction. This is due, in part, to the fact that the driver is oriented forward and reversing over long distances is generally unsafe or unnecessary. However, in autonomous vehicles where a human does not directly control the vehicle's operation in real time, it may be advantageous for the vehicle to be able to operate bidirectionally. For example, vehicles in the transportation systems described herein may be substantially symmetrical, such that the vehicle lacks a visually or mechanically distinct front or rear. Furthermore, the wheels may be controlled independently enough that the vehicle can operate substantially identically regardless of which end of the vehicle is facing the direction of travel. This symmetrical design offers several advantages. For example, the vehicle may be able to maneuver within a smaller space by potentially eliminating the need to perform a U-turn or other maneuver to reorient the vehicle so that it faces "forward" before beginning a journey.

[0082] 6A and 6B are perspective views of an exemplary four-wheel roadway vehicle 600 (referred to herein simply as a "vehicle") that may be used in a transportation system such as that described herein. FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate the symmetry and bidirectionality of the vehicle 600. In particular, the vehicle 600 defines a first end 602, shown at the forefront of FIG. 6A , and a second end 604, shown at the forefront of FIG. 6B . In some embodiments, as shown, the first end 602 and the second end 604 are substantially identical. Additionally, the vehicle 600 may be configured to be driven with either end facing the direction of travel. For example, when the vehicle 600 is traveling in the direction indicated by arrow 614, the first end 602 is the leading end of the vehicle 600, while when the vehicle 600 is traveling in the direction indicated by arrow 612, the second end 604 is the leading end of the vehicle 600.

[0083] The ability of vehicles to operate bidirectionally can allow roadway systems, and particularly boarding zones, to be more compact. For example, when a vehicle configured to travel primarily in only one direction (e.g., with reverse operation provided for convenience and maneuvering but not for continuous driving capabilities) enters a parking spot with poor visibility, it must perform a y-turn maneuver to exit the parking spot and begin forward travel. On the other hand, a vehicle configured to operate equally well in either direction (e.g., a bidirectional vehicle) can simply exit the parking spot already facing the direction of travel. Thus, vehicles capable of bidirectional operation require less space to maneuver within a boarding zone, allowing the boarding zone to be more compact and operate more efficiently. For example, a y-turn maneuver may temporarily block more adjacent parking spots than a vehicle that can simply turn directly toward the desired direction of travel, regardless of which direction it is. Also, while through-through parking spots can eliminate the need for y-turn maneuvers in unidirectional vehicles, a boarding zone with through-through parking spots requires a larger area than a boarding zone with poor visibility parking spots. As such, the use of bidirectional vehicles such as vehicle 600 facilitates the use of smaller, more compact boarding zones and more efficient operation of the boarding zones.

[0084] The vehicle 600 may also include wheels 606 (e.g., wheels 606-1 through 606-4). The wheels 606 may be paired according to their proximity to the ends of the vehicle. Thus, wheels 606-1 and 606-3 may be positioned proximate a first end 602 of the vehicle and may be referred to as a first pair of wheels 606, and wheels 606-2 and 606-4 may be positioned proximate a second end 604 of the vehicle and may be referred to as a second pair of wheels 606. Each pair of wheels may be driven by at least one motor (e.g., an electric motor), and each pair of wheels may be capable of propelling the vehicle. Because each pair of wheels can turn to propel the vehicle, the vehicle may have similar driving and handling characteristics regardless of the direction of travel. In some cases, the vehicle may be operated in a two-wheel steering mode, in which only one pair of wheels propels the vehicle 600 at a given time. In such cases, the particular pair of wheels propelling the vehicle 600 may change direction when the direction of travel changes. In other cases, the vehicle may be operated in a four-wheel steering mode, in which the wheels are operated in concert to propel the vehicle. In four-wheel steering mode, the pair of wheels may turn in either the same direction or in opposite directions, depending on the steering maneuver being performed and / or the speed of the vehicle.

[0085] The vehicle 600 may also include doors 608, 610 that open to allow passengers and other luggage (e.g., packages, baggage, cargo) to be placed inside the vehicle 600. The doors 608, 610, described in more detail herein, may extend across the top of the vehicle so that they each define two opposing side sections. For example, each door defines a side section on a first side of the vehicle and another side section on a second, opposite side of the vehicle. The doors also each define a roof section that extends between the side sections and defines a portion of the roof (or upper side) of the vehicle. In some cases, the doors 608, 610 resemble an upside-down "U" in cross section and may be referred to as canopy doors. The side and roof sections of the door may be formed as a rigid structural unit so that all of the door components (e.g., the side and roof sections) move in relation to one another. In some cases, the doors 608, 610 include a one-piece shell or door chassis formed from a monolithic structure, which may be formed from composite sheets or structures including, for example, fiberglass, carbon composite, and / or other lightweight composite materials.

[0086] Vehicle 600 may also include a vehicle controller 620 ( FIG. 6C ) that controls operation of vehicle 600 and the vehicle's systems and / or subsystems. For example, the vehicle controller may control the vehicle's drive system, steering system, suspension system, doors, etc. to facilitate vehicle operation, including navigating the vehicle along a roadway according to one or more vehicle control strategies. The vehicle controller may also be configured to communicate with other vehicles, a traffic system controller (e.g., CMS 102), a vehicle presence detector, or other components of the traffic system (e.g., LMS 104, TMS 106, etc.). For example, the vehicle controller may be configured to receive information from other vehicles regarding their position in a convoy, speed, upcoming speed or direction changes, etc. The vehicle controller may also be configured to receive information from the vehicle presence detector regarding available vehicle positions. The vehicle controller may include a computer, processor, memory, circuitry, or any other suitable hardware components and may be interconnected with other systems of the vehicle to facilitate the operations described herein, as well as other vehicle operations.

[0087] 6C is a schematic diagram of a vehicle 600 illustrating an example set of systems that may facilitate and / or implement the operations and techniques described herein. The vehicle 600 may include a vehicle controller 620. The vehicle controller 620 may include a vehicle sensing subsystem 622, a vehicle communication subsystem 624, a vehicle autonomy subsystem 626, a vehicle control subsystem 628, and a vehicle user interface subsystem 630. The vehicle controller 620 may be coupled to various physical and / or hardware components of the vehicle 600, including, but not limited to, a propulsion system 632, a steering system 634, a braking system 636, a sensor and / or sensing system 638, a door system 640, a user interface system 642, etc.

[0088] Vehicle sensing subsystem 622 may include or be coupled to sensing system 638, which may include tri-band redundant sensing (lidar, radar, camera) that provides high-resolution (e.g., about 0.2 to about 2.0 mrad), low-latency (e.g., latency less than about 100 ms), and long-range sensor data (e.g., greater than about 600 feet). Vehicle sensing subsystem 622 may provide and / or access sensor data used to determine vehicle state (e.g., position, speed, acceleration) and to provide detection and location of other objects within the system, including other vehicles and any intrusions into the system.

[0089] The vehicle communication subsystem 624 may include dual-band redundant wireless communications. This subsystem may provide trajectory information (e.g., fully collision-avoided vehicle trajectories) and movement authority signals to the vehicles (the movement authority signals are continuous signals required for any permissive state on the system). The vehicle communication subsystem 624 may also transmit vehicle status information to other system components (e.g., other vehicles, the CMS 102, the LMS 104, the TMS 106, etc.). The vehicle communication subsystem 624 may also transmit and / or receive redundant / diverse system observations (e.g., intrusion observations, vehicle observations) across the system.

[0090] Vehicle autonomy subsystem 626 may facilitate autonomous operation of vehicle 600, including ensuring the safety of vehicle 600 in a variety of conditions, including failure of any and all off-vehicle components (e.g., CMS 102, LMS 104, TMS 106, etc.). Vehicle autonomy subsystem 626 may use the output of vehicle sensing subsystem 622 as input and, based at least in part on its output, provide vehicle self-localization (e.g., location of vehicle 600 in space and / or relative to the traffic system) and object detection / localization (including other vehicles and foreign objects on or adjacent to the guideway). Vehicle autonomy subsystem 626 may cross-check its self-localization and object reports against diverse and redundant sources (e.g., reports from wayside MS units and other vehicles) and enforce safety invariants on these results (e.g., maintaining a safe separation distance, etc.). The vehicle may periodically (e.g., at a frequency of about 10 cycles per second) or otherwise provide both the current safe motion plan and the fail-safe motion plan to the vehicle control subsystem 628 (to be executed if the motion plan is not acceptable on a subsequent cycle).

[0091] Vehicle control subsystem 628 may control vehicle actuators (e.g., propulsion, braking, steering, doors, etc.) and may maintain the vehicle in a safe state. Vehicle control subsystem 628 may include safety-critical software running on safety-critical processing hardware (redundancy with checks via dual lockstep processors). Vehicle steering and braking systems may support a fail-safe design with respect to loss of signal from vehicle control subsystem 628 via hardware watchdog timers.

[0092] Vehicle user interface subsystem 630 may facilitate user interaction within the vehicle, including, but not limited to, verifying passenger identity (via NFC scanning), allowing the user to initiate a trip, and providing information to the user throughout the course of the trip (e.g., time to arrival, pre-arrival alerts). Vehicle user interface subsystem 630 may include a display, a touchscreen display, output systems (e.g., lights, speakers), user input systems (e.g., keyboard, buttons, microphone), as well as other possible user interface components or systems.

[0093] The vehicle user interface (UI) subsystem 630 may provide various outputs and accept various inputs from passengers during a trip. For example, during a trip, the vehicle UI subsystem 630 may communicate ride progress, display messages, and provide access to customer support.

[0094] In one example, when a passenger enters a vehicle, vehicle UI subsystem 630 may provide an audio and / or visual output prompting the passenger to identify themselves (e.g., present a credential item, ticket, etc.). Vehicle UI subsystem 630 may also include an NFC antenna, optical scanner, or other system to allow the user to identify themselves or otherwise provide credentials to the system. After the passenger identifies themselves, vehicle UI subsystem 630 may provide an audio and / or visual output indicating that the doors will close (and optionally provide a countdown, such as a three-second countdown). At any point, the passenger can interact with vehicle UI subsystem 630 to stop the doors from closing. Once the doors are closed, vehicle UI subsystem 630 may provide an audio and / or visual output indicating impending departure.

[0095] During the ride, a progress bar or other trip progress information (e.g., a moving display on a map of the roadway system) may be displayed to the user via the vehicle's user interface and / or on the user's device. During the ride, the user may access customer support via the vehicle or the user's mobile phone or other device. Prior to arriving at the destination, vehicle UI subsystem 630 may generate an audio and / or visual output indicating that the destination is about to be reached. A countdown may also optionally be provided.

[0096] 7A and 7B are side and perspective views of the vehicle 600 with the doors 608, 610 in an open position. Because the doors 608, 610 each define two opposing side sections and a roof section, an uninterrupted interior space 702 may be exposed when the doors 608, 610 are open. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B , when the doors 608, 610 are open, an opening may be defined between the doors 608, 610 that extends from one side of the vehicle 600 to the other. This may allow unimpeded entry and exit into and exit from passengers on both sides of the vehicle 600. The absence of overhead structure when the doors 608, 610 are open may allow passengers to walk across the vehicle 600 without limited headroom.

[0097] The vehicle 600 may also include seats 704, which may be positioned at opposite ends of the vehicle 600 and may face each other. As shown, the vehicle includes two seats 704, although other numbers of seats and other seating arrangements are possible (e.g., zero seats, one seat, three seats, etc.). In some cases, the seats 704 may be removed, folded, or stowed so that a wheelchair, stroller, bicycle, or luggage may be more easily placed within the vehicle 600. For example, the seats may be hinged or otherwise articulated so that the seat surface can be raised to provide more space within the vehicle for other objects. In some cases, the vehicle 600 may include a bicycle retention system positioned below the seat surface so that the bicycle wheel can be secured to the bicycle retention system when the seat surface is raised. The bicycle retention system may include a slot 705 into which the bicycle wheel can be at least partially inserted to maintain the bicycle in an upright configuration. The slot 705 may be offset from the centerline of the vehicle to provide adequate space for passengers and other luggage.

[0098] Vehicles for use in transportation systems such as those described herein, such as vehicle 600, may be designed for safe and comfortable operation, as well as for ease of manufacture and maintenance. To achieve these advantages, the vehicle may be designed with a frame structure that contains many of the vehicle's structural and operational components (e.g., motor, suspension, battery, etc.) and is positioned low to the ground. The body structure may be attached to or fixed to the frame structure. FIG. 8 illustrates a partial exploded view of a vehicle that may be an embodiment of vehicle 600, showing an exemplary configuration of the frame structure and body structure. As described below, the low position of the frame structure combined with the relatively lightweight body structure produces a vehicle with a very low center of gravity, which increases the safety and handling of the vehicle. For example, a low center of gravity reduces the risk of the vehicle rolling over when the vehicle encounters sloped roads, wind loads, sharp turns, etc., and also reduces the body roll of the vehicle during turns or other maneuvers. Additionally, manufacturing and repair may be simplified by locating many of the vehicle's operational components, such as the motor, battery, vehicle controller, and sensors (e.g., sensors that detect magnets or other markers mounted on the road) on a frame structure (e.g., frame structure 804, FIG. 8).

[0099] 8 is a partially exploded view of a vehicle 800, which may be an embodiment of vehicle 600. Details of vehicle 600 may be equally applicable to vehicle 800 and will not be repeated here. Vehicle 800 may include a body structure 802, which may include doors (e.g., doors 608, 610 described above) and other body components, and a frame structure 804 to which body structure 802 is attached.

[0100] The frame structure 804 may include drive, suspension, and steering components of the vehicle. For example, the frame structure 804 includes a wheel suspension system (which may define or include wheel mounts, axles, or hubs, represented in FIG. 8 as points 812), a steering system, drive motors, and optionally, a motor controller. The wheels may be attached to the wheel suspension system via wheel mounts, axles, hubs, etc. The drive motors may include one or more drive motors that drive the wheels individually or in concert with one another. The drive motors are mounted to the frame structure 804 and may receive power from a power source (e.g., a battery). Motor controllers for the drive motors may also be mounted to the frame structure 804.

[0101] The suspension system may be any suitable type of suspension system. In some cases, the suspension system includes a separate suspension system for each wheel. For example, the suspension system may be a double wishbone torsion bar suspension system. The suspension system may also be dynamically adjustable, such as to control ride height, suspension preload, damping, or other suspension parameters while the vehicle is stationary or moving. Other suspension systems, such as swing axle suspension, sliding pillar suspension, and MacPherson strut suspension, are also contemplated. Furthermore, the spring and damping functions may be provided by any suitable components or systems, such as coil springs, leaf springs, air springs, hydro-pneumatic springs, magnetorheological shock absorbers, and the like. The suspension system may be configured to operate with the contours of the road surface (e.g., roadway as described above) to maintain a desired experience for passengers.

[0102] The frame structure 804 may also include a steering system that allows the wheels to turn to propel the vehicle. In some cases, the wheels may be independently movable or may be ganged (e.g., via a steering rack) to always point in substantially the same direction during normal operation of the vehicle. This may also allow the vehicle to use four-wheel steering, or to alternate between two-wheel steering and four-wheel steering.

[0103] The frame structure 804 may contain components such as a battery, a motor, and mechanisms for opening and closing the vehicle doors, a control system (including a computer or other processing unit), and the like.

[0104] FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a vehicle and frame structure. However, other configurations are possible. Also, the frame structure and body structure shown in FIG. 8 are intended more as a schematic representation of these components, which may include other structures omitted from FIG. 8 for clarity. Additional structural connections and integrations may be made between the body structure and the frame structure beyond those explicitly shown in FIG. 8. For example, components of a door mechanism that opens and closes a door on the body structure may be joined to both the door and the frame structure.

[0105] 9 illustrates an example electrical block diagram of an electronic device 900 that may perform the operations described herein. The electronic device 900 may, in some cases, take the form of any of the electronic devices described herein, including the CMS 102, the LMS 104, the TMS 106, the vehicle controller 620, a vehicle user interface, a ride zone kiosk, a portable electronic device, or other computing device or system described herein or usable to perform the operations or to instantiate the systems and / or services described herein. The electronic device 900 may include one or more of a display 912, a processing unit 902, a power supply 914, a memory 904 or storage device, an input device 906, and an output device 910. In some cases, various implementations of the electronic device 900 may lack some or all of these components and / or include additional or alternative components.

[0106] The processing unit 902 may control some or all of the operation of the electronic device 900. The processing unit 902 may communicate, directly or indirectly, with some or all of the components of the electronic device 900. For example, a system bus or other communication mechanism 916 may provide communication between the processing unit 902, the power supply 914, the memory 904, the input devices 906, and the output devices 910.

[0107] Processing unit 902 may be implemented as any electronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting data or instructions. For example, processing unit 902 may be a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a combination of such devices. As used herein, the term "processing unit" is meant to encompass a single processor or processing unit, multiple processors, multiple processing units, or any other suitably configured computing element or elements.

[0108] It should be noted that components of electronic device 900 may be controlled by multiple processing units. For example, selected components of electronic device 900 (e.g., input device 906) may be controlled by a first processing unit, and other components of electronic device 900 (e.g., display 912) may be controlled by a second processing unit, and the first and second processing units may or may not be in communication with each other.

[0109] Power supply 914 may be implemented with any device capable of providing energy to electronic device 900. For example, power supply 914 may be one or more batteries or rechargeable batteries. Additionally or alternatively, power supply 914 may be a power connector or power cord that connects electronic device 900 to another power source, such as a wall outlet.

[0110] Memory 904 may store electronic data that can be used by electronic device 900. For example, memory 904 may store electronic data or content such as, for example, trip requests, user information, historical usage data, a map and / or layout of the transportation system, vehicle data (e.g., information about each vehicle in the system, including allocation status, remaining charge, maintenance history, etc.), etc. Memory 904 may be configured as any type of memory. By way of example only, memory 904 may be implemented as random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory, removable memory, other types of storage elements, or a combination of such devices.

[0111] In various embodiments, display 912 provides graphical output associated with, for example, the operating system, user interface, and / or applications of electronic device 900. In one embodiment, display 912 includes one or more sensors and is configured as a touch-sensitive (e.g., single-touch, multi-touch) and / or force-sensitive display for receiving input from a user. For example, display 912 may be integrated with touch sensors (e.g., capacitive touch sensors) and / or force sensors to provide a touch-sensitive and / or force-sensitive display. Display 912 is operably coupled to processing unit 902 of electronic device 900.

[0112] Display 912 may be implemented with any suitable technology, including but not limited to liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, light emitting diode (LED) technology, organic light-emitting display (OLED) technology, organic electroluminescence (OEL) technology, or another type of display technology. In some cases, display 912 is positioned under, and viewable through, a cover that forms at least a portion of the enclosure of electronic device 900.

[0113] In various embodiments, the input devices 906 may include any suitable components for detecting input. Examples of input devices 906 include light sensors, temperature sensors, audio sensors (e.g., microphones), optical or visual sensors (e.g., cameras, visible light sensors, or invisible light sensors), proximity sensors, touch sensors, force sensors, mechanical devices (e.g., crowns, switches, buttons, or keys), vibration sensors, orientation sensors, motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers or speed sensors), position sensors (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) devices), thermal sensors, communication devices (e.g., wired or wireless communication devices), resistive sensors, magnetic sensors, electroactive polymers (EAPs), strain gauges, electrodes, etc., or some combination thereof. Each input device 906 may be configured to detect one or more particular types of input and provide a signal (e.g., an input signal) corresponding to the detected input. The signal may be provided to the processing unit 902, for example.

[0114] Output device(s) 910 may include any suitable components for providing output. Examples of output device(s) 910 include lights, audio output devices (e.g., speakers), visual output devices (e.g., lights or displays), tactile output devices (e.g., haptic output devices), communication devices (e.g., wired or wireless communication devices), etc., or some combination thereof. Each output device 910 may be configured to receive one or more signals (e.g., output signals provided by processing unit 902) and provide an output corresponding to the signals.

[0115] In some cases, the input device(s) 906 and the output device(s) 910 are implemented together as a single device. For example, the input / output devices or ports may transmit electronic signals over a communications network, such as a wireless network connection and / or a wired network connection. Examples of wireless and wired network connections include, but are not limited to, cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR, and Ethernet connections.

[0116] The processing unit 902 may be operatively coupled to the input device(s) 906 and the output device(s) 910. The processing unit 902 may be adapted to exchange signals with the input device(s) 906 and the output device(s) 910. For example, the processing unit 902 may receive an input signal from the input device 906 corresponding to an input detected by the input device 906. The processing unit 902 may interpret the received input signal to determine whether to provide and / or modify one or more outputs in response to the input signal. The processing unit 902 may then send the output signal to one or more of the output devices 910 to provide and / or modify the output as needed.

[0117] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific language to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required to practice the described embodiments. Accordingly, the foregoing description of specific embodiments described herein is presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while methods or processes disclosed herein have been described and illustrated with reference to particular acts performed in a particular order, these acts may be combined, subdivided, or resequenced to form equivalent methods or processes without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Additionally, structures, features, components, materials, steps, processes, etc. described herein with respect to one embodiment may be omitted from that embodiment or incorporated in other embodiments. Furthermore, although the term "roadway" is used herein to refer to a structure that supports moving vehicles, the roadways described herein do not necessarily conform to any definition, standard, or requirement that may be associated with the term "roadway," such as may be used in laws, regulations, traffic codes, etc. Thus, roadways described herein need not (and in fact may not) necessarily provide the same characteristics and / or structures as "roadways" defined or used in other contexts. Of course, roadways described herein may comply with any and all applicable laws, safety regulations, or other rules for the safety of passengers, bystanders, operators, builders, maintenance personnel, etc.

Claims

1. 1. A transportation system for autonomous vehicles, comprising: a control system configured to determine a respective vehicle trajectory for each autonomous vehicle and to provide the respective vehicle trajectory to the respective autonomous vehicle; a pair of roadways extending alongside one another and physically separated from one another, a first roadway of the pair configured for vehicular travel in a first direction and a second roadway of the pair configured for vehicular travel in a second direction opposite the first direction; a boarding zone vertically separated from said pair of roadways; and a set of ride slots configured to receive autonomous vehicles; a mixing zone adjacent to the set of boarding slots and configured to allow vehicular access to the set of boarding slots for vehicles from the first roadway and the second roadway, a first mixed traffic lane connected to the first roadway; a second mixed lane connected to the second roadway and positioned between the first mixed lane and the set of boarding slots; a mixing zone comprising: a boarding zone comprising: The control system includes: providing a vehicle arrival trajectory to the vehicle, the vehicle arrival trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to enter the first mixed lane from the first roadway and cross the second mixed lane to arrive at a boarding slot; and a transportation system configured to provide a vehicle departure trajectory to the vehicle in the boarding slot, the vehicle departure trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to cross the second mixed traffic lane to begin traveling along the first roadway.

2. In a first portion of the vehicle departure trajectory, the vehicle travels toward a first end of the vehicle; The transportation system of claim 1 , wherein in the second portion of the vehicle departure trajectory, the vehicle travels toward a second end of the vehicle.

3. The transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of roadways are elevated perpendicular to the boarding zone.

4. the boarding zone is at grade level; The transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of roadways are below grade level.

5. 10. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle departure trajectory defines a travel path between a first moving vehicle having a first known trajectory and a second moving vehicle having a second known trajectory, the vehicle merging onto the first roadway.

6. the vehicle is a first vehicle, 2. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to generate the vehicle departure trajectory based at least in part on an existing vehicle trajectory of a second vehicle traveling along the first roadway, and the vehicle departure trajectory is configured to maintain a separation distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle along the first roadway.

7. 2. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the first mixed lane and the second mixed lane are positioned between a detour section of the first roadway and a detour section of the second roadway.

8. 1. A method of operating vehicles in a transportation system comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles configured to navigate autonomously along a roadway system, the method comprising:

1. A control system configured to determine a respective vehicle trajectory for a respective autonomous vehicle, and to provide the respective vehicle trajectory to the respective autonomous vehicle, comprising: providing a first vehicle with a first vehicle trajectory, the first vehicle trajectory including instructions to autonomously travel along a first roadway to a first buffer zone connected to a first mixed lane of a riding zone; providing a second vehicle with a second vehicle trajectory, the second vehicle trajectory including instructions to autonomously travel along a second roadway to a second buffer zone connected to a second mixed lane of the riding zone; Initiating a first arrival operation, causing the first vehicle to temporarily stop within the first buffer zone; causing the second vehicle to cross a portion of the second mixed traffic lane in a first direction of travel and enter a first boarding slot; and initiating a second arrival operation after the first arrival operation, the second arrival operation including causing the first vehicle to cross a portion of the first mixed lane, cross the portion of the second mixed lane in a second travel direction opposite the first travel direction, and enter a second boarding slot.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the respective vehicle trajectories for the respective autonomous vehicles include a minimum separation distance between the respective autonomous vehicles.

10. and further comprising initiating a coordinated vehicle departure operation after the second arrival operation, the coordinated vehicle departure operation comprising: providing the first vehicle with a third vehicle track, the third vehicle track configured to cause the first vehicle to exit the second boarding slot and travel autonomously along the second roadway; and providing the second vehicle with a fourth vehicle trajectory, the fourth vehicle trajectory configured to cause the second vehicle to exit the first boarding slot simultaneously with the first vehicle exiting the second boarding slot and to travel autonomously along the second roadway.

11. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the riding zone is vertically separated from the first roadway and the second roadway.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the riding zone is between a first detour segment of the first roadway and a second detour segment of the second roadway.

13. the first roadway is a first elevated roadway; the second roadway is a second elevated roadway; a first ramp connecting the first elevated roadway to the first mixed traffic lane; The method of claim 11 , wherein a second ramp connects the second elevated roadway to the second mixed traffic lane.

14. 1. A roadway system for autonomous vehicles, comprising: a grade-level boarding zone, a first grade level road segment configured to accept traffic traveling in a first direction; a second grade-level road section configured to accept traffic traveling in a second direction opposite the first direction; a grade-level boarding zone comprising: a set of boarding slots along a side of the first grade-level road segment and accessible via the first grade-level road segment and the second grade-level road segment; a first roadway configured for traffic traveling in the first direction; and a first elevated roadway section; and a second elevated road section; and a first off-ramp joining the first elevated road section of the grade-level boarding zone to the first grade-level road section; a first on-ramp joining the first grade-level road section of the grade-level boarding zone to the second elevated road section; a first roadway comprising a first elevated detour section joining the first elevated roadway section to the second elevated roadway section; a second roadway configured for traffic traveling in the second direction; and a third elevated road section; and a fourth elevated road section; and a second off-ramp joining the third elevated roadway section to the second grade-level roadway section of the grade-level boarding zone; a second on-ramp joining the second grade-level road section of the grade-level boarding zone to the fourth elevated road section; a second elevated detour section joining the third elevated roadway section to the fourth elevated roadway section;

15. 15. The roadway system of claim 14, wherein the first on-ramp and the second on-ramp and the first off-ramp and the second off-ramp are between the first elevated detour segment and the second elevated detour segment.

16. 15. The roadway system of claim 14, wherein the boarding zone lacks an intersection with a road accessible by conventional vehicular traffic.

17. 15. The roadway system of claim 14, wherein the first roadway is physically separate from the second roadway.

18. the first on-ramp is aligned with the second off-ramp; 15. The roadway system of claim 14, wherein the second on-ramp is aligned with the first off-ramp.

19. 15. The roadway system of claim 14, further comprising a control system configured to determine a respective vehicle trajectory for each autonomous vehicle and to provide the respective vehicle trajectories to the respective autonomous vehicles, the respective vehicle trajectories for the respective autonomous vehicles configured to maintain a minimum separation distance between the respective autonomous vehicles.

20. The control system includes: providing a vehicle arrival trajectory to the vehicle, the vehicle arrival trajectory configured to direct the vehicle from the first roadway onto the first grade level road segment and across the second grade level road segment to arrive at a boarding slot; and 20. The roadway system of claim 19, further configured to provide a vehicle departure trajectory to the vehicle in the boarding slot, the vehicle departure trajectory configured to cause the vehicle to traverse the second grade level road segment to begin traveling along the first roadway.

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