Autonomous vehicle highway merge planning module
This technology is a software system that helps self-driving vehicles execute highway merge maneuvers safely and smoothly. It continuously reads data about the vehicle's surroundings—including nearby cars, lane markings, and a specific physical marker where the merge lane ends—and uses that information to build a mathematical map of possible paths. The system then calculates an optimized 3D trajectory (accounting for position, time, and speed simultaneously) that gets the vehicle from the merge lane into the main lane without conflict. The result is a complete merge decision-making and control pipeline that can run onboard an autonomous vehicle in real time.
What you could build
A software module or middleware component for autonomous vehicle stacks—sold or licensed to AV platform developers, Tier 1 automotive suppliers, or robotaxi operators—that handles the full merge decision and trajectory planning pipeline as a plug-in capability.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense contractors and government agencies in Northern Virginia with autonomous ground vehicle programs (e.g., DARPA, Army CCDC) and commercial AV testing operations along I-66 and I-95 corridors would be relevant targets.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Samer RAJAB, Shigenobu Saigusa, Paritosh Kelkar, Yasir Khudhair Al-Nadawi, Yusen Chen, Tyler Naes, James Schultz, Cameron Rainey, Steven Huggins, Shane McLaughlin, Kevin Kefauver
- Granted
- September 24, 2024
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 12097862
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.