Augmented trajectories for autonomous vehicles

An autonomous vehicle comprising:

• at least one processor;
• memory;
• and
• program instructions, stored in the memory, that upon execution by the at least one processor cause the autonomous vehicle to perform operations comprising:
• transmitting an assistance signal to an assistance center, wherein the assistance signal indicates that the autonomous vehicle seeks assistance navigating according to a first trajectory, and wherein the assistance signal includes a first extent of sensor information indicating representations of objects in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle;
• receiving a request, from the assistance center, to enter an augmented mode, wherein the autonomous vehicle transmits a second extent of sensor information to the assistance center when in the augmented mode, and wherein the second extent of sensor information is greater than the first extent of sensor information;
• determining to enter the augmented mode;
• generating a proposed trajectory that intersects the first trajectory at one or more points;
• transmitting additional information to the assistance center, wherein the additional information comprises the proposed trajectory;
• and
• receiving a response to the assistance signal and the additional information, the response validating the proposed trajectory or comprising a modified proposed trajectory.

An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a computing device of an autonomous vehicle, cause the autonomous vehicle to perform operations comprising:

• transmitting an assistance signal to an assistance center, wherein the assistance signal indicates that the autonomous vehicle seeks assistance navigating according to a first trajectory, and wherein the assistance signal includes a first extent of sensor information indicating representations of objects in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle;
• receiving a request, from the assistance center, to enter an augmented mode, wherein the autonomous vehicle transmits a second extent of sensor information to the assistance center when in the augmented mode, and wherein the second extent of sensor information is greater than the first extent of sensor information;
• determining to enter the augmented mode;
• generating a proposed trajectory that intersects the first trajectory at one or more points;
• transmitting additional information to the assistance center, wherein the additional information comprises the proposed trajectory;
• and
• receiving a response to the assistance signal and the additional information, the response validating the proposed trajectory or comprising a modified proposed trajectory.