Distributed intersection management

An autonomous vehicle comprising:

• a sensor array that produces sensor data;
• a transceiver that communicates with and receives data from a neighboring autonomous vehicle on a second path proximate to the intersection;
• a speed control system that controls the speed of the autonomous vehicle;
• a steering control system that controls the steering of the autonomous vehicle;
• a memory storing a first priority identifier;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled with the sensor array, the transceiver, the speed control system, the steering control system, and the memory, the controller:
• directs the autonomous vehicle along a first path using the speed control systema and the steering control system;
• detects a neighboring autonomous vehicle using the transceiver and/or the sensor array, wherein the neighboring autonomous vehicle is on a second path that substantially intersects with the first path;
• identifies a first overlapping region between the first path and the second path;
• communicates the first overlapping region identified by the autonomous vehicle to the neighboring autonomous vehicle via the transceiver;
• if the first priority identifier has greater priority over a second priority identifier assigned to the neighboring autonomous vehicle, designates as an authority to decide whether the autonomous vehicle or the neighboring autonomous vehicle proceeds through the intersection first in a first decision and communicates the first decision to the neighboring autonomous vehicle, or
• if the first priority identifier has lesser priority over the second priority identifier assigned to the neighboring autonomous vehicle, receives a second decision from the neighboring autonomous vehicle as to whether the autonomous vehicle or the neighboring autonomous vehicle proceeds through the intersection first;
• and
• in response to the first decision or the second decision, sends commands to the steering control system and the speed control system that when executed move the autonomous vehicle to proceed through the intersection or yield to the neighboring autonomous vehicle proceeding through the intersection.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for performing a method of:

• directing an autonomous vehicle along a first path;
• detecting a neighboring autonomous vehicle on a second path from sensor data and/or from transceiver data;
• identifying a first overlapping region between the first path and the second path;
• sending the first priority identifier to the neighboring autonomous vehicle;
• receiving a second priority identifier from the neighboring autonomous vehicle;
• in the event the first priority identifier has greater priority over the second priority identifier, deciding whether the autonomous vehicle or the neighboring autonomous vehicle proceeds through the intersection first in a first decision and communicating the first decision to the neighboring autonomous vehicle, or
• in the event the first priority identifier has lesser priority over the second priority identifier assigned to the neighboring autonomous vehicle, receiving a second decision from the neighboring autonomous vehicle as to whether the autonomous vehicle or the neighboring autonomous vehicle proceeds through the intersection first;
• and
• in response to the first decision or the second decision, operating the autonomous vehicle to proceed along the first path through the overlapping region or yield to the neighboring autonomous vehicle proceeding through the overlapping region.