Distributing a crowdsourced sparse map for autonomous vehicle navigation

A system for generating a road navigation model for use in autonomous vehicle navigation, the system comprising:

• at least one network interface;
• at least one non-transitory storage medium;
• and
• at least one processing device, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:
• receive, using the network interface, navigation information from a plurality of vehicles, wherein the navigation information from the plurality of vehicles is associated with a common road segment;
• store, on the non-transitory storage medium, the navigation information associated with the common road segment;
• generate at least a portion of an autonomous vehicle road navigation model for the common road segment based on the navigation information from the plurality of vehicles, the autonomous vehicle road navigation model for the common road segment including at least one line representation of a road surface feature extending along the common road segment, each line representation representing a path along the common road segment substantially corresponding with the road surface feature, and wherein the road surface feature is identified through image analysis of a plurality of images acquired as the plurality of vehicles traverse the common road segment;
• and
• distribute, using the network interface, the autonomous vehicle road navigation model to one or more autonomous vehicles for use in autonomously navigating the one or more autonomous vehicles along the common road segment.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processing device, cause the server to:

• receive navigation information from a plurality of vehicles, wherein the navigation information from the plurality of vehicles is associated with a common road segment;
• store the navigation information associated with the common road segment;
• generate at least a portion of an autonomous vehicle road navigation model for the common road segment based on the navigation information from the plurality of vehicles, the autonomous vehicle road navigation model for the common road segment including at least one line representation of a road surface feature extending along the common road segment, each line representation representing a path along the common road segment substantially corresponding with the road surface feature, and wherein the road surface feature is identified through image analysis of a plurality of images acquired as the plurality of vehicles traverse the common road segment;
• and
• distribute the autonomous vehicle road navigation model to one or more autonomous vehicles for use in autonomously navigating the one or more autonomous vehicles along the common road segment.