Data-driven prediction-based system and method for trajectory planning of autonomous vehicles

A system comprising:

• a data processor;
• and
• a trajectory planning module executable by the data processor and configured to perform a trajectory planning operation for an autonomous vehicle, the trajectory planning operation includes:
• generating a suggested trajectory for the autonomous vehicle and a distribution of predicted resulting trajectories for each of proximate agents using a prediction module, the distribution of predicted resulting trajectories being reactions to the suggested trajectory of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the proximate agents are vehicles in vicinity of the autonomous vehicle;
• determining whether a score of the suggested trajectory based on the distribution of predicted resulting trajectories of the proximate agents violates or satisfies a pre-defined goal;
• and
• upon determination that the suggested trajectory violates the pre-defined goal, rejecting the suggested trajectory and generating a new suggested trajectory for the autonomous vehicle and a new distribution of predicted resulting trajectories for each of the proximate agents using the prediction module;
• or
• upon determination that the suggested trajectory satisfies the pre-defined goal, providing the suggested trajectory as an output from trajectory planning module,
• wherein the trajectory planning operation is repeated until a predetermined condition is met,
• wherein the trajectory planning module is configured to cause a vehicle control subsystem of the autonomous vehicle to manipulate the autonomous vehicle to follow the suggested trajectory upon determination that the suggested trajectory satisfies the pre-defined goal.