Methods and systems for keeping remote assistance operators alert

A vehicle, comprising:

• one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to acquire sensor data relating to a current location of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is configured to operate in an autonomous mode based on information from the one or more sensors;
• and
• a computer system configured to perform functions:
• receiving an input indicating a final destination, wherein the computer system is configured to control the vehicle in the autonomous mode;
• determining that the final destination is not on a pre-approved road for travel by the vehicle in the autonomous mode based on map data representing a plurality of pre-approved roads for vehicles to use when operating in autonomous mode, wherein the vehicle is operable in the autonomous mode only when the vehicle is on one or more pre-approved roads;
• selecting a route from a current location of the vehicle to an intermediary destination based on the map data representing the plurality of pre-approved roads for vehicles to use when operating in autonomous mode, wherein the route only comprises one or more pre-approved roads for travel by the vehicle in the autonomous mode;
• navigating the vehicle in the autonomous mode such that the vehicle traverses the one or more pre-approved roads of the route from the current location to the intermediary destination;
• stopping the vehicle at the intermediary destination;
• after stopping the vehicle at the intermediary destination, determining that a user is able to operate the vehicle;
• and
• responsive to determining that the user is able to operate the vehicle, allowing the user to drive the vehicle in a manual mode.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computer system to cause the computer system to perform functions, the functions comprising:

• receiving an input indicating a final destination, wherein the computer system is configured to control a vehicle in an autonomous mode;
• determining that the final destination is not on a pre-approved road for travel by the vehicle in the autonomous mode based on map data representing a plurality of pre-approved roads for vehicles to use when operating in autonomous mode, wherein the vehicle is operable in the autonomous mode only when the vehicle is on one or more pre-approved roads;
• selecting a route from a current location of the vehicle to an intermediary destination based on the map data representing the plurality of pre-approved roads for vehicles to use when operating in autonomous mode, wherein the route only comprises one or more pre-approved roads for travel by the vehicle in the autonomous mode;
• navigating the vehicle in the autonomous mode such that the vehicle traverses the one or more pre-approved roads of the route from the current location to the intermediary destination;
• stopping the vehicle at the intermediary destination;
• after stopping the vehicle at the intermediary destination, determining that a user is able to operate the vehicle;
• and
• responsive to determining that the user is able to operate the vehicle, allowing the user to drive the vehicle in a manual mode.