Sawtooth station, bidirectional sawtooth platform, car tether, and elevated autonomous people mover system

An autonomous vehicle tether system for controlling interaction between a plurality of autonomous vehicles located in a control area, the plurality of autonomous vehicles each having control parameters and respective desired destinations or exit points, wherein the control area includes one or more sawtooth berths separating a passenger waiting area from a autonomous vehicle area, whereby in a first configuration a first autonomous vehicle closest to the one or more sawtooth berths pulls straight into the one or more sawtooth berths and in a second configuration a second autonomous vehicle simultaneously traveling in an opposite direction of travel from the first autonomous vehicle and farthest from the one or more sawtooth berths turns around in the autonomous vehicle area and stops at the one or more sawtooth berths comprising:

• at least one hardware processor;
• and
• one or more software modules that are configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor:
• take control of the plurality of autonomous vehicles in the control area;
• obtain the control parameters and desired destination or exit point for each autonomous vehicle;
• optimize control parameters of each autonomous vehicle to optimize travel through the control area to the respective desired destinations or exit points;
• determine if the autonomous vehicle is at its desired destination or exit point;
• return control of the autonomous vehicle back to the autonomous vehicle after determining that the autonomous vehicle is at its desired destination or exit point,
• control in the first configuration the first autonomous vehicle closest to the one or more sawtooth berths to pull straight into the one or more sawtooth berths and control in the second configuration the second autonomous vehicle simultaneously traveling in an opposite direction of travel from the first autonomous vehicle and farthest from the one or more sawtooth berths to turn around in the autonomous vehicle area and stop at the one or more sawtooth berths.

A method of controlling interaction between a plurality of autonomous vehicles located in a control area, the plurality of autonomous vehicles each having control parameters and respective desired destinations or exit points, wherein the control area includes one or more sawtooth berths separating a passenger waiting area from a autonomous vehicle area, whereby in a first configuration a first autonomous vehicle closest to the one or more sawtooth berths pulls straight into the one or more sawtooth berths and in a second configuration a second autonomous vehicle simultaneously traveling in an opposite direction of travel from the first autonomous vehicle and farthest from the one or more sawtooth berths turns around in the autonomous vehicle area and stops at the one or more sawtooth berths, comprising:

• taking control of the plurality of autonomous vehicles in the control area;
• obtaining the control parameters and desired destination or exit point for each autonomous vehicle;
• optimizing control parameters of each autonomous vehicle to optimize travel through the control area to the respective desired destinations or exit points;
• determining if the autonomous vehicle is at its desired destination or exit point;
• returning control of the autonomous vehicle back to the autonomous vehicle after determining that the autonomous vehicle is at its desired destination or exit point,
• controlling in the first configuration the first autonomous vehicle closest to the one or more sawtooth berths to pull straight into the one or more sawtooth berths and controlling in the second configuration the second autonomous vehicle simultaneously traveling in an opposite direction of travel from the first autonomous vehicle and farthest from the one or more sawtooth berths to turn around in the autonomous vehicle area and stop at the one or more sawtooth berths.

An elevated autonomous people mover system, comprising:

• an elevated guideway structure with a running surface;
• a plurality of autonomous vehicles;
• a plurality of elevated stations along the guideway structure for passengers to enter and exit the autonomous vehicles,
• whereby the elevated autonomous people mover system does not include a third rail for supplying electric power to the vehicles nor a guidance structure to guide the vehicles,
• wherein the plurality of elevated stations include one or more sawtooth berths separating a passenger waiting area from a autonomous vehicle area, whereby in a first configuration a first autonomous vehicle closest to the one or more sawtooth berths pulls straight into the one or more sawtooth berths and in a second configuration a second autonomous vehicle simultaneously traveling in an opposite direction of travel from the first autonomous vehicle and farthest from the one or more sawtooth berths turns around in the autonomous vehicle area and stops at the one or more sawtooth berths.