Method for Preventing Traversal of Unsensed Areas for an Autonomous Work Vehicle

A method comprising:

• receive primary signal data from a primary sensor;
• receive secondary signal data from a secondary sensor;
• calculate an occupancy probability of a cell of a plurality of cells within an occupancy probability map based on the primary signal data and the secondary signal data, wherein the occupancy probability map represents a sensor field of view within an operating environment, such that:
• when the primary signal data indicate presence of an obstacle at the cell, increasing the occupancy probability of the cell;
• when the secondary signal data indicate presence of an obstacle at the cell, increasing the occupancy probability of the cell;
• when the primary signal data does not indicate presence of an obstacle at the cell, decreasing the occupancy probability of the cell;
• and
• when the secondary signal data does not indicate presence of an obstacle at the cell, not decreasing the occupancy probability of the cell;
• and
• instruct a steering control system and a speed control system to drive an autonomous vehicle along a path through an area in the operating environment based on the occupancy probability of the cell.

An autonomous vehicle comprising:

• a steering control system;
• a speed control system;
• one or more sensors, including a primary sensor and a secondary sensor;
• one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more sensors, the steering control system, and the speed control system;
• and
• one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that when executed by the one or more processors:
• receive primary signal data from the primary sensor;
• receive secondary signal data from the secondary sensor;
• when the secondary signal data conflicts with the primary signal data, calculate an occupancy probability of a cell of a plurality of cells within an occupancy probability map, wherein the occupancy probability map represents a sensor field of view within an operating environment, based on the primary signal data but not the secondary signal data;
• and
• instruct the steering control system and the speed control system to drive the autonomous vehicle along a path through an area in the operating environment based on the occupancy probability of the cell.