Patent ID: 11927956
Assignee: WAYMO LLC
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B  H | IPC B  G

Claim 13:
14. A method of operating a lead vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors of a control system of the lead vehicle, a communication indicating a destination to which another vehicle is driving;
determining, by the one or more processors, whether the lead vehicle is able to drive to the destination; and
when the lead vehicle is able to drive to the destination:
controlling, by the one or more processors, a driving system of the lead vehicle to position the lead vehicle in front of the other vehicle;
upon the driving system being controlled to position the lead vehicle in front of the other vehicle to initiate a leading operation, sending, by the one or more processors, a command for the other vehicle to enter a leader search state for a predetermined period of time to identify and follow the lead vehicle; and
performing, by the one or more processors, the leading operation by controlling the driving system of the lead vehicle to proceed toward the destination along a route.