# US 2021/0240184 A1 · Preparing autonomous vehicles for turns > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240184 A1 - Document ID: US20210240184A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/215,574 - Filed: 2021-03-29 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-09 - Assignees: Waymo LLC - Applicants: Waymo LLC - Inventors: Benjamin Charrow; Nathaniel Fairfield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240184A1 ## CPC - B60W 60/0016: {of the vehicle or its occupants} - B62D 15/025: {Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence)} - B60W 30/18154: {Approaching an intersection} - B62D 15/0265: {Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering} - G01C 21/26: specially adapted for navigation in a road network - G05D 1/0214: {in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13)} - G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes} - G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection} - B60Q 1/346: {with automatic actuation} - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2420/54: Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound - B60W 2552/53: Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk - B60W 2554/60: Traversable objects, e.g. speed bumps or curbs - B60W 2554/80: Spatial relation or speed relative to objects - B60W 2554/802: Longitudinal distance - B60W 2556/40: High definition maps - G06V 20/588: {Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road} - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract The technology relates to maneuvering a vehicle prior to making a turn from a current lane of the vehicle. As an example, a route that includes making the turn from the lane is identified. An area of the lane prior to the turn having a lane width of at least a predetermined size is also identified. Sensor data identifying an object within the lane is received from a perception system of a vehicle. Characteristics of the object, including a location of the object relative to the vehicle, are identified from the sensor data. The vehicle is then maneuvered through the area prior to making the turn using the identified characteristics. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of maneuvering a vehicle prior to making a turn from a lane of a roadway, the method comprising: identifying, by one or more processors based on map information, an area of a lane prior to the turn that has a lane width of at least a predetermined size; receiving, by the one or more processors, from a perception system, sensor data identifying one or more objects proximate to the vehicle; predicting, by the one or more processors, from the sensor data, how the one or more objects will maneuver in the area of the lane and whether the one or more objects will make a turn; and maneuvering, by the one or more processors, the vehicle in order to signal the vehicle's intent to make a turn based on the predicting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data indicates a relative location of each of the one or more objects with respect to a current location of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the signaling is further based on the current location of the vehicle reaching a predetermined distance from an intersection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling is further based on the one or more processors determining that the vehicle will arrive at an intersection within a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the lane enables the vehicle and the one or more objects to both proceed across an intersection and to turn at the intersection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: analyzing, by the one or more processors, the sensor data to identify a set of objects having certain characteristics. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the characteristics include a lane in which the objects and the vehicle move in. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: removing, by the one or more processors, one or more objects from the identified set of objects that are too far away from the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the characteristics include an illuminated or active turn signal, and the maneuvering is based on the characteristics of the objects. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the maneuvering includes following behind one or more of the objects. ### Claim 11 A system maneuvering an autonomous vehicle prior to making a turn from a lane of a roadway, the system comprising: a perception system; and one or more processors configured to: identify, based on map information, an area of a lane prior to the turn that has a lane width of at least a predetermined size; receive, from a perception system, sensor data identifying one or more objects proximate to the vehicle; predict, from the sensor data, how the one or more objects will maneuver in the area of the lane and whether the one or more objects will make a turn; and maneuver, by the one or more processors, the vehicle in order to signal the vehicle's intent to make a turn based on the predicting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor data indicates a relative location of each of the one or more objects with respect to a current location of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the signaling is further based on the current location of the vehicle reaching a predetermined distance from an intersection. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the signaling is further based on the one or more processors determining that the vehicle will arrive at an intersection within a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the lane enables the vehicle and the one or more objects to both proceed across an intersection and to turn at the intersection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are configured to analyze the sensor data to identify a set of objects having certain characteristics. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the characteristics include a lane in which the objects and the vehicle move in. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are configured to remove one or more objects from the identified set of objects that are too far away from the vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the characteristics include an illuminated or active turn signal, and the one or more processors are configured to maneuver the vehicle based on the characteristics of the objects. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are configured to maneuver the vehicle by following behind one or more of the objects.