A method of exception handling by an autonomous vehicle, AV, the method comprising: identifying an exception situation; identifying a risk associated with autonomously resolving the exception situation; and in response to the risk exceeding a risk threshold: initiating a request for assistance from a tele-operator; halting for the tele-operator to respond to the request; and receiving a response from the tele-operator; and characterized in that a stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is identified as the exception situation; the risk is identified as a weighting of a situation likelihood and a consequence of autonomously resolving the exception situation, wherein the situation likelihood relates to whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is permanently or temporarily stopped and the situation likelihood is determined based on: whether hazard lights of the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) are flashing, how long the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) has been stopped, whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is at an intersection, whether pylons are present, or whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) was classified as a moving vehicle at a previous time step; and wherein the consequence relates to a cost of overtaking the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) and is determined based on whether the AV has a clear view ahead and sufficient space to overtake the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676); and in response to determining that the exception situation is cleared before receiving the response from the tele-operator, revoking the request to the tele-operator. identifying an exception situation; identifying a risk associated with autonomously resolving the exception situation; and in response to the risk exceeding a risk threshold: initiating a request for assistance from a tele-operator; halting for the tele-operator to respond to the request; and receiving a response from the tele-operator; and initiating a request for assistance from a tele-operator; halting for the tele-operator to respond to the request; and receiving a response from the tele-operator; and characterized in that a stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is identified as the exception situation; the risk is identified as a weighting of a situation likelihood and a consequence of autonomously resolving the exception situation, wherein the situation likelihood relates to whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is permanently or temporarily stopped and the situation likelihood is determined based on: whether hazard lights of the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) are flashing, how long the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) has been stopped, whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is at an intersection, whether pylons are present, or whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) was classified as a moving vehicle at a previous time step; and whether hazard lights of the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) are flashing, how long the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) has been stopped, whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) is at an intersection, whether pylons are present, or whether the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) was classified as a moving vehicle at a previous time step; and wherein the consequence relates to a cost of overtaking the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676) and is determined based on whether the AV has a clear view ahead and sufficient space to overtake the stopped vehicle (634, 654, 656, 676); and in response to determining that the exception situation is cleared before receiving the response from the tele-operator, revoking the request to the tele-operator.