Control of semi-autonomous vehicles

A method for controlling a semi-autonomous vehicle (“SAV”) by an internal source of control and two additional sources of control, comprising:

• (a) generating, by a priority processor, priority information comprising a selection of one of six operating states;
• (b) providing said priority information to a SAV processor;
• (c) receiving, by the SAV processor, said priority information;
• (d) receiving, by the SAV processor, vehicle sensor information;
• (e) based on the received sensor information, generating, by the vehicle processor, internal vehicle control information, said information representing an internal vehicle control choice;
• (f) providing, by the SAV processor, the sensor information to each of a first additional control source and a second additional control source;
• (g) receiving, by each of the first additional control source, and the second additional control source, the sensor information;
• (h) providing, by a first additional control source processor, first additional control information representing a first additional vehicle control choice;
• (i) providing, by the first additional control source, said first additional vehicle control choice to said SAV processor;
• (j) receiving, by the SAV processor, said first additional vehicle control choice;
• (k) providing, by a second additional control source processor, second additional control information representing a second additional vehicle control choice;
• (l) providing, by the second additional control source, said second additional vehicle control choice to said SAV processor;
• (m) receiving, by the SAV processor, said second additional vehicle control choice;
• (n) based on said received priority information, selecting, by said SAV processor, a control choice from among said internal vehicle control choice, said first additional vehicle control choice, and said second additional vehicle control choice, wherein:
• (1) in a first operating state:
• said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice;
• and
• said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice;
• (2) in a second operating state:
• said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice;
• and
• said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice;
• (3) in a third operating state:
• said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice;
• and
• said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice;
• (4) in a fourth operating state:
• said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control
• said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice;
• (5) in a fifth operating state:
• said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice;
• and
• said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice;
• and
• (6) in a sixth operating state:
• said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice;
• and
• said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice.