Patent ID: 11912273
Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  E  G | IPC B  E  G

Claim 16:
17. A method performed by an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving data specifying an identity of a passenger to be picked up by the autonomous vehicle;
controlling at least one of a vehicle propulsion system of the autonomous vehicle or a braking system of the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to stop for passenger pickup;
during a time period, controlling a sound system of the autonomous vehicle to emit an audible indicator perceivable from a position external to the autonomous vehicle, wherein one or more characteristics of the audible indicator are controlled based on the identity of the passenger and a state of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the audible indicator perceivable from the position external to the autonomous vehicle comprises audio data streamed to the sound system from a mobile computing device of the passenger to be picked up; and
during a differing time period, controlling a lighting system of the autonomous vehicle to emit a visual indicator perceivable from the position external to the autonomous vehicle, wherein one or more characteristics of the visible indicator are controlled based on the identity of the passenger and the state of the autonomous vehicle; and wherein the state of the autonomous vehicle comprises one of:
the autonomous vehicle being stopped for passenger pickup for the passenger to enter the autonomous vehicle; or
the autonomous vehicle not being stopped for passenger pickup.