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Blog Post

3.27.2023

March 2023 Software Release

Zipper merge in the rain blog header

The latest software release has rolled out to the driverless fleet:

  • New right turn capabilities, now including more complex stop-sign turns onto major roads. This opens up about 700 new intersections in SF, improving trip routes and trip times for riders.

  • Added new maneuvers (ex. turning from outer-turn lanes, driving in merge lanes) which increases the reachable streets by 8%, and unlocks future expansion of the service area in denser areas of SF. Trips now have 5% more direct routes with 10% less walking, and reduce the chances of getting stuck along the way.

  • Expanded pick-up and drop-off locations to pull out of lane in tighter spaces and along additional narrow roads, so that riders can get picked up and dropped off closer to their requested destination.

  • Shipped SURF Plus which provides remote advisors with expanded realtime information and maneuverability, resulting in fewer trip interruptions.

  • Shipped TSEL v11 which improved driving smoothness while going around double-parked vehicles (+15%), stopping (up to +9%), following lead cars and making unprotected left turns. Also improved lane-following and behavior around traffic light intersections.

  • Shipped core behavior improvements resulting in 23% more reliable traversal in narrow gaps.

  • Shipped VRU MTL v2.1 that now detects pedestrian visual attention; improves behavior around humans controlling traffic by 8%; improves VRU sub-classification by 10% and increases detection of pedestrians in non-standing poses by ~6%.

  • Shipped RVG v1.0, which improves heading accuracy by 20% for objects as they come into view and improves turn rate accuracy by 22% on nearfield moving vehicles.

  • Shipped AV Seed v3.1 which improves trajectory selection, notably during left turns, lane changes, and interaction with bicyclists.  

  • Shipped LPC v5 that improves comfort in reduced or variable traction conditions, along with other motion planning improvements that increase lane change smoothness and reliability by 2% - 4%.

Statistics measuring the percentage of improvement are based on internal benchmarks and metrics.