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 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 is permanently or temporarily stopped and the situation likelihood is determined based on: whether hazard lights of the stopped vehicle are flashing, how long the stopped vehicle has been stopped, whether the stopped vehicle is at an intersection , whether pylons are present, or whether the stopped vehicle was classified as a moving vehicle at a previous time step; and wherein the consequence relates to a cost of overtaking the stopped vehicle and is determined based on whether the AV has a clear view ahead and sufficient space to overtake the stopped vehicle ; 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 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 is permanently or temporarily stopped and the situation likelihood is determined based on: whether hazard lights of the stopped vehicle are flashing, how long the stopped vehicle has been stopped, whether the stopped vehicle is at an intersection , whether pylons are present, or whether the stopped vehicle was classified as a moving vehicle at a previous time step; and whether hazard lights of the stopped vehicle are flashing, how long the stopped vehicle has been stopped, whether the stopped vehicle is at an intersection , whether pylons are present, or whether the stopped vehicle was classified as a moving vehicle at a previous time step; and wherein the consequence relates to a cost of overtaking the stopped vehicle and is determined based on whether the AV has a clear view ahead and sufficient space to overtake the stopped vehicle ; 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. <EOS>