Managing autonomous vehicles

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for an autonomous vehicle obtaining services can include: detecting, by the autonomous vehicle, a need for service; sending, over a network interface of the autonomous vehicle, a request for service; determining a rendezvous location at which service will be received; maneuvering, by the autonomous vehicle, to the rendezvous location; receiving, by the autonomous vehicle over a network, an authentication code; in response to receiving the authentication code, enabling, by the autonomous vehicle, access to components of the autonomous vehicle; determining, by the autonomous vehicle, that the service is complete; and transmitting, by the autonomous vehicle, an indication that the service is complete.

1 . A method for an autonomous vehicle obtaining services, the method comprising:
 detecting, by the autonomous vehicle, a need for service;   sending, over a network interface of the autonomous vehicle, a request for service;   determining a rendezvous location at which service will be received;   maneuvering, by the autonomous vehicle, to the rendezvous location;   receiving, by the autonomous vehicle over a network, an authentication code;   in response to receiving the authentication code, enabling, by the autonomous vehicle, access to components of the autonomous vehicle;   determining, by the autonomous vehicle, that the service is complete; and   transmitting, by the autonomous vehicle, an indication that the service is complete.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining that the service is complete comprises:
 determining a first sensor state before the enabling access to the components of the autonomous vehicle; and 
 determining a second sensor state after the service is complete. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 in response to the indication that the service is complete,
 providing, by a fleet controller, value to an account associated with a provider of the service. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . An autonomous vehicle comprising:
 a propulsion unit configured to propel the autonomous vehicle;   a plurality of wheels configured to receive a rotational force from the propulsion unit;   a steering unit configured to control one or more of the wheels;   a driving and guidance system configured to autonomously control the propulsion unit and the steering unit to maneuver the autonomous vehicle;   a ride service controller configured to
 receive ride service parameters; 
 receive, over a wireless network, ride requests; 
 select, based on the ride service parameters, certain ones of the ride requests; and 
 instruct the driving and guidance system to maneuver to locations associated with the certain ones of the ride requests. 
   
     
     
         5 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 4 , where the ride service parameters indicate information about rides completed by other autonomous vehicles in an autonomous vehicle fleet. 
     
     
         6 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the information about rides completed by other autonomous vehicles includes one or more of ride pickup locations, ride destinations, ride times, or ride paths between pickup locations and destinations. 
     
     
         7 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 5 , where the information about rides completed by other autonomous vehicles includes information collected by sensors of the other autonomous vehicles.