Methods and systems for providing remote assistance to a stopped vehicle

A system comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a computing device positioned remotely from the vehicle, wherein the computing device is configured to:
• receive a request for assistance from the vehicle operating in an environment, wherein the request for assistance includes sensor data from a vehicle sensor;
• based on the request for assistance, determine, using the sensor data, that the vehicle is stopped blocking a driveway or in a double-parked arrangement;
• determine a threshold period of time based on the vehicle being stopped blocking the driveway or in the double-parked arrangement, wherein the computing device determines a different threshold period of time based on whether the vehicle is blocking the driveway or in the double-parked arrangement;
• determine that the vehicle has been stationary for the threshold period of time;
• based on determining that the vehicle has been stationary for the threshold period of time, prompt a remote operator to provide assistance and display, using the sensor data, a representation of the environment of the vehicle, wherein the representation of the environment includes images or video that correspond to a predetermined period of time before the vehicle stopped and remained stationary for the threshold period of time;
• receive an input responsive to displaying the representation of the environment of the vehicle;
• and
• based on the input, provide control instructions to the vehicle.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a request for assistance from a vehicle operating in an environment, wherein the request for assistance includes sensor data from a vehicle sensor;
• based on the request for assistance, determining, using the sensor data, that the vehicle is stopped blocking a driveway or in a double-parked arrangement, wherein the processor is positioned remotely from the vehicle and determines a different threshold period of time based on whether the vehicle is blocking the driveway or in the double-parked arrangement;
• determining a threshold period of time based on the vehicle being stopped blocking the driveway or in the double-parked arrangement;
• determining that the vehicle has been stationary for the threshold period of time;
• based on determining that the vehicle has been stationary for the threshold period of time, prompting a remote operator to provide assistance and displaying, using the sensor data, a representation of the environment of the vehicle, wherein the representation of the environment includes images or video that correspond to a predetermined period of time before the vehicle stopped and remained stationary for the threshold period of time;
• receiving an input responsive to displaying the representation of the environment of the vehicle;
• and
• based on the input, providing control instructions to the vehicle.