Sensor fusion for detecting false-positive observations

A method comprising:

• receiving lidar data generated by a lidar sensor of a vehicle operating in an environment;
• receiving radar data generated by a radar sensor of the vehicle;
• determining, based at least in part on the lidar data, a location where a lidar observation has been received;
• determining, based at least in part on the radar data, an absence of a radar observation in proximity to the location;
• receiving an indication that a retroreflective surface is present in the environment, the lidar observation indicating a presence of a potential object in the environment proximate the retroreflective surface;
• and
• determining, based at least in part on the retroreflective surface being present in the environment and based at least in part on the absence of the radar observation in proximity to the location, that the lidar observation is a false-positive observation.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving lidar data generated by a lidar sensor of a vehicle operating in an environment;
• receiving radar data generated by a radar sensor of the vehicle;
• determining, based at least in part on the lidar data, a location in the environment where a lidar observation has been received, the location being within an occluded portion of the environment;
• determining, based at least in part on the radar data, an absence of a radar observation in proximity to the location;
• receiving an indication that a retroreflective surface is present in the environment;
• and
• determining, based at least in part on the retroreflective surface being present in the environment and based at least in part on the absence of the radar observation in proximity to the location, that the lidar observation is a false-positive observation.

A method comprising:

• receiving lidar data generated by a lidar sensor of a vehicle operating in an environment;
• receiving radar data generated by a radar sensor of the vehicle;
• determining, based at least in part on at least one of the lidar data, map data, or image data, a first location where a lidar observation has been received;
• determining, based at least in part on the radar data, an absence of a radar observation in proximity to the first location;
• receiving an indication that a retroreflective surface is present in the environment;
• determining a second location of the retroreflective surface in the environment based at least in part on at least one of the map data, the image data, or the lidar data;
• and
• determining, based at least in part on the retroreflective surface being present in the environment, the absence of the radar observation in proximity to the first location, and determining that the second location of the retroreflective surface is proximate to the first location, that the lidar observation is a false-positive observation.