Path prediction to compensate for control delay

A method for navigating an autonomous host vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving, from one or more sensors, a sensor output indicative of at least one aspect of motion of the host vehicle relative to an environment of the host vehicle, wherein the sensor output is generated at a first time that is later than a data acquisition time, when a measurement or data acquisition on which the sensor output is based is acquired, and earlier than a second time at which the sensor output is received by the at least one processor;
• generating, for a motion prediction time, a prediction of at least one aspect of host vehicle motion based, at least in part, on the received sensor output and an estimation of how the at least one aspect of host vehicle motion changes over a time interval between the data acquisition time and the motion prediction time;
• determining a planned navigational action for the host vehicle based, at least in part, on the at least one navigational goal of the host vehicle and based on the generated prediction of the at least one aspect of host vehicle motion;
• generating a navigational command for implementing at least a portion of the planned navigational action;
• and
• providing the navigational command to at least one actuation system of the host vehicle, such that the at least one actuation system receives the navigational command at a third time that is later than the second time and earlier or substantially the same as an actuation time at which a component of the at least one actuation system responds to the received command;
• wherein the motion prediction time is after the data acquisition time and earlier than or equal to the actuation time;
• wherein the prediction of at least one aspect of host vehicle motion includes a prediction of a path of the host vehicle at the motion prediction time;
• wherein the prediction of the path of the host vehicle at the motion prediction time is based on at least a determined speed for the host vehicle and a target trajectory for the host vehicle included in a map of a road segment on which the host vehicle travels;
• wherein the target trajectory includes a predetermined three-dimensional spline representative of a preferred path along at least one lane of the road segment;
• and
• wherein the prediction of at least one aspect of host vehicle motion at the motion prediction time accounts for a mismatch between a data acquisition rate associated with the one or more sensors and control rate associated with a rate that the at least one processor generates the navigational command.

A navigation system for navigating an autonomous host vehicle according to at least one navigational goal of the host vehicle, the navigation system including a computer-readable non-transient memory storing instructions that when executed by a processor result in operations comprising:

• receiving, from one or more sensors, a sensor output indicative of at least one aspect of motion of the host vehicle relative to an environment of the host vehicle, wherein the sensor output is generated at a first time that is later than a data acquisition time, when a measurement or data acquisition on which the sensor output is based is acquired, and earlier than a second time at which the sensor output is received by the at least one processor;
• generating, for a motion prediction time, a prediction of at least one aspect of host vehicle motion based, at least in part, on the received sensor output and an estimation of how the at least one aspect of host vehicle motion changes over a time interval between the data acquisition time and the motion prediction time;
• determining a planned navigational action for the host vehicle based, at least in part, on the at least one navigational goal of the host vehicle and based on the generated prediction of the at least one aspect of host vehicle motion;
• generating a navigational command for implementing at least a portion of the planned navigational action;
• and
• providing the navigational command to at least one actuation system of the host vehicle, such that the at least one actuation system receives the navigational command at a third time that is later than the second time and earlier or substantially the same as an actuation time at which a component of the at least one actuation system responds to the received command;
• wherein the motion prediction time is after the data acquisition time and earlier than or equal to the actuation time;
• wherein the prediction of at least one aspect of host vehicle motion includes a prediction of a path of the host vehicle at the motion prediction time;
• wherein the prediction of the path of the host vehicle at the motion prediction time is based on at least a determined speed for the host vehicle and a target trajectory for the host vehicle included in a map of a road segment on which the host vehicle travels;
• wherein the target trajectory includes a predetermined three-dimensional spline representative of a preferred path along at least one lane of the road segment;
• and
• wherein the prediction of at least one aspect of host vehicle motion at the motion prediction time accounts for a mismatch between a data acquisition rate associated with the one or more sensors and control rate associated with a rate that the at least one processor generates the navigational command.