Autonomous vehicle utilizing a global road and map based representation of driving trajectory data

A computer-implemented method for controlling an autonomous vehicle using a global coordinate system, the computer-implemented method performed by an autonomy computing system a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• retrieving a map including a plurality of ways, each way of the plurality of ways representing a road section having a constant number of lanes;
• retrieving a plurality of predefined associations corresponding to the plurality of ways, each predefined association indicating, for a corresponding way of the plurality of ways, at least one of a preceding way or a subsequent way;
• identifying, from the map, at least one segment including more than one way of the plurality of ways, the at least one segment having a global origin point;
• generating a coordinate system for the at least one segment based on the global origin point and the plurality of predefined associations;
• receiving sensor data indicating a presence of at least one object;
• determining a global location of the at least one object with respect to the coordinate system;
• and
• controlling operation of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the determined global location.

An autonomous vehicle comprising:

• at least one sensor;
• and
• an autonomy computing system for controlling the autonomous vehicle, the autonomy computing system comprising a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to:
• retrieve a map including a plurality of ways, each way of the plurality of ways representing a road section having a constant number of lanes;
• retrieve a plurality of predefined associations corresponding to the plurality of ways, each predefined association indicating, for a corresponding way of the plurality of ways, at least one of a preceding way or a subsequent way;
• identify, from the map, at least one segment including more than one way of the plurality of ways, the at least one segment having a global origin point;
• generate a coordinate system for the at least one segment based on the global origin point and the plurality of predefined associations;
• receive sensor data from the at least one sensor indicating a presence of at least one object;
• determine a global location of the at least one object with respect to the coordinate system;
• and
• control operation of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the determined global location.