Autonomous vehicle visual based communication

A method performed by an autonomous vehicle in an environment, comprising:

• classifying an object in the environment external to the autonomous vehicle as a person based on data outputted by a sensor system of the autonomous vehicle;
• detecting a location of the person in the environment based on the data outputted by the sensor system;
• identifying an elevation of a ground adjacent to the location of the person on which a notification is to be projected;
• and
• causing a projector to project the notification on the ground in the environment external to the autonomous vehicle, wherein the projector is caused to project the notification on the ground adjacent to the location of the person, and wherein the projector is caused to project the notification based on a position of the projector in the environment, the location of the person in the environment, and the elevation of the ground adjacent to the location of the person.

An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

• a sensor system configured to output data representative of an object in an environment external to the autonomous vehicle;
• a projector;
• and
• a computing system in communication with the sensor system and the projector, wherein the computing system comprises:
• a processor;
• and
• memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
• classifying the object as a person based on the data outputted by the sensor system;
• detecting a location of the person in the environment based on the data outputted by the sensor system;
• detecting that the person is performing a predefined maneuver in the environment, wherein the predefined maneuver is one of crossing a street at an area other than a crosswalk, making a turn at an intersection, or passing the autonomous vehicle;
• and
• causing the projector to project the notification on the ground in the environment external to the autonomous vehicle, wherein the projector is caused to project the notification on the ground adjacent to the location of the person while the person performs the predefined maneuver, and wherein the projector is caused to discontinue projecting the notification on the ground adjacent to the location of the person when the person completes the predefined maneuver.