EP4705851A1 - Communication and control system for delivery vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A communication gateway module for an autonomous vehicle includes an external communication subsystem and an internal communication subsystem segregated from each other by a cyber security module. The external communication subsystem includes (i) one or more cellular modules, (ii) a human-machine interface, (iii) at least one of a router or modem, (iv) a positioning module, (v) a network processor, (vi) one or more wireless modules. The internal communication subsystem includes (i) one or more Ethernet switches in communication with the network processor (ii) a data acquisition module, (iii) a controller area network module, and (iv) a time server.

Description

COMMUNICATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR DELIVERY VEHICLE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application 63/504,522, filed on May 26, 2023. The disclosures of this prior application is considered part of the disclosure of this application and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates to a communication and control system for an autonomous delivery vehicle, and more particularly, to a communication gateway module for the communication and control system.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Autonomous vehicle systems rely on a plethora of sensors and data processing modules to detect, determine, and control movements of the vehicle. However, there exists an ongoing need for efficient means for remotely connecting to the autonomous vehicle control systems to allow manual intervention and adjustment of vehicle operation.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of an autonomous delivery vehicle according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0005] FIG. IB is a schematic view of a vehicle control environment for operating the delivery vehicle of FIG. 1A.

[0006] FIG. 1C is another schematic view detailing an example of an autonomous driving subsystem including a gateway connectivity module according to the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG. ID is another schematic view detailing another example of an autonomous driving subsystem including a gateway connectivity module according to the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing an example order of operations for controlling an autonomous delivery vehicle via the vehicle control environment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example configuration of the vehicle control environment of FIG. 1A. [0010] Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C, a delivery vehicle 10 is associated with vehicle control environment 20 configured to manage the movement and operation of the delivery vehicle 10, both in an autonomously operated state and in a manually operated state. The vehicle control environment 20 includes various subsystems, including a vehicle control subsystem 30 and an autonomous driving subsystem 40 that are both located onboard the delivery vehicle 10, and a remote vehicle management system 50 located remotely from the vehicle. As discussed in greater detail below, the autonomous driving subsystem 40 is configured to process a variety of data inputs, such as sensor data and destination data, to manage environment perception, path planning, route planning, and motion control of the delivery vehicle 10. The remote vehicle management system 50 cooperates with the vehicle control subsystem 30 and the autonomous driving subsystem 40 to command and control vehicle operations, such as steering, propulsion, and braking.

[0012] The vehicle control environment 20 is advantageously provided as a bipartite system, whereby the onboard systems 30, 40 manage autonomous vehicle operations and the offboard or remote vehicle management system 50 is configured to monitor, adjust, or supersede the autonomous vehicle operations executed by the onboard systems 30, 40. As contemplated in this disclosure, the remote vehicle management system 50 includes (a) a backend ecosystem 52 of the vehicle control environment 20 as well as (b) a teleops center 54. The backend ecosystem 52 may include an order management system, such as an ERP system that receives and processes order and delivery information, and then transmits such delivery information to the onboard systems 30, 40 of the vehicle control environment 20 for execution. The teleops center 54 is provided as a staffed monitoring center, whereby operation of the autonomous vehicle 10 can be continuously or periodically monitored and remotely controlled by a human operator on an as-needed basis. The teleops center 54 may include one or more vehicle management systems 56, whereby a single operator can monitor and control the operation of one or more autonomous vehicles. Unlike conventional autonomous vehicle monitoring systems, whereby an operator may constantly monitor operation of an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle control environment 20 of the present disclosure facilitates the monitoring and control of a plurality of autonomous vehicles by a single vehicle management system or operator. As discussed in greater detail below, the vehicle control environment 20 of the present disclosure is configured to provide continuous and secure highspeed communication between the onboard systems 30, 40 and the teleops center 54, whereby the onboard systems 30, 40 determine when the autonomous vehicle requires human intervention (i.e., a route fault) and transmits a signal or request to the teleops center 54. Upon receipt of such request, the autonomous vehicle 10 may be assigned to a teleops operator for monitoring and control. Thus, by only engaging the teleops center 54 upon identification of a route fault by the onboard systems 30, 40, manual oversight of vehicle operations can be streamlined. Accordingly, a relatively small number of teleops operators may efficiently manage a relatively large number of autonomous vehicles 10.

[0013] With continued reference to FIG. 1A, an example of a delivery vehicle 10 configured for use with the vehicle control environment 20 is provided. As shown, the vehicle control environment 20 may be segregated between an onboard portion and an offboard portion. For example, the vehicle control subsystem 30 and the autonomous driving subsystem 40 are located onboard the delivery vehicle 10 and are in communication with the offboard remote vehicle management system 50 via one or more communication networks.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, the delivery vehicle 10 includes a peripheral or accessory system 400 including a plurality of peripheral systems and devices, which may be included in or in communication with the vehicle control subsystem 30. For example, the accessory system may include a human-machine interface (HMI) 410, 410a-410b for allowing a user to communicate with the vehicle control environment 20 at the delivery vehicle 10. The HMI 410 can include input/output modules for receiving commands from a user and for communicating vehicle information to the user, such as vehicle status. While the HMI 410a is illustrated as a physical device incorporated on the delivery vehicle 10, the HMI 410a may also or alternatively be provided through a mobile device 410b in communication with the vehicle control subsystem 30 via the one or more wireless communication networks (e.g., cellular, Wi-Fi, BLE).

[0015] The accessory system 400 further includes interior and exterior lighting systems 412, 414. For example, interior lights 412 may include one or more cargo area lights 412, while the exterior lights include headlights 414a, turn indicators 414b, tail lights 414c, and brake lights 414d. Additional lights, such as beacons and status indicators may be included on the delivery vehicle 10 to visibly communicate an operating status of the vehicle (e.g., manual mode, autonomous mode, dispensing mode). In addition to lighting systems, the delivery vehicle 10 may include audio systems, such as speakers 416 and microphones 418. As indicated in the schematic provided in FIG. IB, the accessory system 400 may include one or more parking brakes 422, 424, including an electronic parking brake 422 and/or a redundant braking system, such as a manual, push- through parking brake 424.

[0016] Referring still to FIG. 1A and IB, the delivery vehicle 10 is further equipped with a cargo management system 420 for maintaining and dispensing one or more items of vehicle cargo. While the illustrated example of the delivery vehicle 10 shows a pair of cargo management systems 420, whereby each cargo management system 420 is associated with a respective cargo compartment (not shown) of the delivery vehicle 10, any number of cargo management systems 420 may be implemented. The cargo management system 420 may include motors and actuators for manipulating cargo within the delivery vehicle 10. Additionally or alternatively, the cargo management system 420 may include an environmental control system for regulating the environment (e.g., temperature, humidity) within each cargo compartment. This may include refrigeration, heating, and humidification systems.

[0017] Referring still to FIGS. 1A and IB, the vehicle control subsystem 30 includes the vehicle control unit (VCU) 300, which communicates with the vehicle accessory system 400, described previously, as well as a plurality of vehicle operation modules 310, 320, 330, 340 to control movement and operation of the delivery vehicle 10. The VCU 300 is generally configured to send and receive data and instructions relating to vehicle operation (e.g., routing, speed), vehicle status and diagnostics, end-to-end autonomous driving functions, network and communication management, and inertial measurement unit functions.

[0018] Referring to FIG. IB, a first one of the vehicle operation modules includes a braking module 310. More specifically, the braking module 310 may include an electronic braking control module (EBCM) 310, which receives braking instructions 311 from the VCU 300 and commands one or more braking units 312 to actuate according to the braking instructions 311. For example, the delivery vehicle 10 may include a braking unit associated with each wheel of the delivery vehicle 10, whereby each of the braking units 312 is independently monitored and controlled by the EBCM 310.

[0019] Another one of the vehicle operation modules includes a steering module 320, which receives steering instructions 321 from the VCU 300 and commands one or more steering units 322 to actuate according to the steering instructions 321. For example, the steering units 322 may be configured as a steer-by-wire system and include actuators for controlling a rotational position of one or more steering wheels of the delivery vehicle. The steering instructions 321 may be generated by the VCU 300 based on routing instructions 151 generated by a routing module 150, as described later.

[0020] The vehicle control subsystem 30 further includes a propulsion module 330, which receives propulsion instructions 331 from the VCU and commands one or more propulsion units 332 to actuate according to the propulsion instructions 331. For example, propulsion units 332 may be configured as wheel hub drives 332 associated with one or more of the wheels of the delivery vehicle 10. The wheel hub drives 332 can be independently controlled by the VCU 300, which generates the propulsion instructions 331 based on the routing instructions received from the ADCU 100.

[0021] Another vehicle operation module of the vehicle control subsystem 30 includes a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) 340. As shown in FIG. IB, the BMS RESS may include a 48 volt battery system 342 for powering the vehicle propulsion module 330. The RESS may include a battery management system (BMS) 350 configured to manage various functions of the battery system, such as charging and discharging limits, pre-charge, cell balancing, and the like. The RESS 340 also includes a 12 volt battery system 344 configured to power conventional vehicle accessories (e.g., accessory system 400) and a DC/DC buck/boost converter 346, which allows 12 volt power received by or stored in the 12 volt battery system 344 to be converted to 48 volt power for use in the 48 volt battery system 342.

[0022] Referring again to FIG. 1A, the vehicle control subsystem 30 communicates and cooperates with the autonomous driving subsystem 40 to control operation of the delivery vehicle 10. The autonomous driving subsystem 40 is generally configured to manage autonomous operation of the delivery vehicle 10 by receiving various inputs, both measured and instructed, and to generate operating instructions that are provided to and processed by the vehicle control subsystem 30 for controlling the various vehicle operation modules 310, 320, 330, 340.

[0023] The autonomous driving subsystem 40 includes an autonomous driving control unit (ADCU) 100, a sensor gateway module 110 that facilitates communication between the ADCU 100 and various peripheral sensing devices 112, 112a-112e, a Lidar controller 120 in communication with one or more Lidar devices 122, 122a-122b, and a connectivity gateway module (CGM) 200 configured to facilitate secure and efficient communication between the remote vehicle management system 50 and each of the ADCU 100 and the vehicle control unit 300.

[0024] As shown, the sensors 112 associated with the sensor gateway module 110 include various cameras 112a, 112b, 112e, ultrasonic sensors 112c, and radar systems 112d. Generally, and as described in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 1C, the connectivity gateway module 200 may be configured to facilitate remote communication between the onboard systems 30, 40 and the remote vehicle management system 50. Particularly, the connectivity gateway module 200 allows the backend ecosystem 52 and/or one or more human operators to communicate realtime instructions provided by the backend ecosystem 52 and/or human users to the ADCU 100 and/or the VCU 300.

[0025] Turning to FIG. 1C, a detailed schematic of the autonomous driving subsystem 40 is provided. As shown, the ADCU 100 includes a perception module 130, a planning module 140, a routing module 150, and a motion control unit (MCU) 160. As shown, each of the modules 130, 140, 150, 160 is in communication with one of the switches 222a, 222b via Ethernet network(s). The perception module 130 is generally operable to receive and process perception data 113, 1 13a- 113e measured by each of the peripheral sensing devices 112, 112a-l 12e, either directly or via the sensor gateway module 110. The planning module 140 is generally configured to generate local path planning instructions 141 and execute decision making based on the perception data 113 received from the sensor gateway module 110 while the routing module 150 generates overall route planning and localization instructions 151 for the delivery vehicle 10 based on delivery data (e.g., pick-up or delivery location target) received from the remote vehicle management system 50. The motion control unit 160 receives the path planning instructions 141 and the route instructions 151 from the planning module 140 and the routing module 150, respectively, and generates vehicle motion commands 161, which the motion control unit 160 transmits to the VCU 300.

[0026] Referring still to FIG. 1C, the connectivity gateway module 200 is segregated by a cyber-security module 210 (e.g., a firewall). As shown, the cyber security module 210 segregates the gateway connectivity module 200 into a secured internal communication subsystem 220 and an unsecured external communication subsystem 230. Generally, external access to and communication with modules 222, 224, 226, 228 included within the internal communication subsystem 220 are restricted by the cyber security module 210. Conversely, modules 232, 234, 236, 238, 240, 242, 244 situated included within the unsecured portion of the connectivity gateway module 200 may be freely accessed by external parties or networks (e.g., the remote vehicle management system 50) without passing through the cyber security module 210. Thus, the connectivity gateway module 200 is configured maximize security associated with the internal communications of operational systems 30, 40 of the delivery vehicle 10 while simultaneously providing efficient access for external communication and data transfer between the delivery vehicle 10 and the remote vehicle management system 50.

[0027] Referring still to FIG. 1C, the secured communication subsystem 220 of the connectivity gateway module 200 includes one or more Ethernet switches 222, 222a-222b, a positioning module 224, a controller area network (CAN) module 226, and a time server 228. Optionally, the secured communication subsystem 220 may include an alert manager, which generates an output signal such as an audio or visual notification to alert a user that the CGM 200 has executed an action or needs user intervention. The secured communication subsystem 220 may further include an audio input, such as a microphone 229 for receiving audio commands from a user. The positioning module 224 includes a ground navigation satellite system (GNSS) or global positioning system (GPS) antenna module 224. In some examples, the positioning module 224 includes an ultra4ow-power unit, such as a SAM-M10Q module offered by u-blox^1M. The time server 228 functions to timestamp all communication data transmitted by the connectivity gateway module 200 to the teleops center 54 via the cellular communication modules 232. By timestamping the communication data, the ADCU 100 can compare the timestamps of the communication data with the timestamps of GPS data generated by the GPS module 224 to ensure that planning instruction 141 and/or routing instructions 151 properly correspond with a current position of the delivery vehicle 10. When a measured time difference between the communication data time stamp and the GPS data timestamp exceeds a threshold time difference, the ADCU 100 will generate vehicle motion instructions 161 indicating that the delivery vehicle 10 should cease movements. The ADCU 100 may generate a fault signal 301 that is transmitted to teleops center 54, notifying teleops center 54 that an error has occurred and that manual control may be necessary. [0028] As shown, the Ethernet switches 222a, 222b are in communication with the various modules of the autonomous driving subsystem 40 and the VCU 300 via one or more Ethernet networks. In the illustrated example, the Ethernet network illustrated in solid line includes an operational network configured for communicating data and instructions associated with the general operation of the delivery vehicle 10, while the Ethernet networks shown in dashed line may be supplemental networks used for development and maintenance of the onboard systems 30, 40.

[0029] The external communication subsystem 230 includes one or more cellular communication modules 232, 232a, 232b, such as subscriber identity module (SIM) cards for a cellular network. In the illustrated example, the cellular communication modules 232 include a first cellular communication module 232a operable on a first carrier network and a second cellular communication module 232b operable on a second carrier network. Thus, the cellular communication modules 232a, 232b are configured to provide redundancy, such that one of the cellular communication modules 232a, 232b can be utilized by the connectivity gateway module 200 in the event that the other of the cellular communication modules 232a, 232b fails or a corresponding cellular network is unavailable.

[0030] The external communication subsystem 230 may further include a vehicle-to- everything (V2X) manager 234, a firmware over-the-air (FOTA) module 236, the HMI 410 discussed previously, and a network processor 238 (e.g., router/modem) for providing communication between the external communication subsystem 230 and the Ethernet Switches 222a, 222b of the internal communication subsystem 220. Additionally, the external communications subsystem 230 includes a data acquisition (DAQ) and memory unit 240. Optionally, the external communication subsystem 230 may include a wireless communication module 242 configured to receive and transmit over Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth low energy (BLE). Thus, while the cellular modules 232a, 232b transmit data remotely via one or more cellular networks, the wireless communication module 242 may be configured to facilitate local wireless communication with one or more devices, such as a wireless HMI 410. Additionally, the local wireless communication module 242 may provide high-speed communication with the autonomous driving subsystem 40 and/or the vehicle control subsystem 30 to facilitate higher- speed communication than is available over the cellular network. This may be useful for system updates or data transfers involving relatively large amounts of data.

[0031] With particular reference to FIGS. ID, another example of an autonomous driving subsystem 40a is provided. In view of the substantial similarity in structure and function of the components associated with the autonomous driving subsystem 40a with respect to the autonomous driving subsystem 40, like reference numerals are used hereinafter and in the drawings to identify like components while like reference numerals containing letter extensions are used to identify those components that have been modified. Further, it should be appreciated that components shown in FIG. ID are substantially the same as the like components shown in FIG. 1C unless otherwise stated herein.

[0032] Turning to FIG. ID, a detailed schematic of another example of an autonomous driving subsystem 40a is provided. In this example, the secured communication subsystem 220a of the connectivity gateway module 200a, in addition to the modules 222a, 222b, 224, 226, 228 discussed previously, further includes an audio output module 227 and an audio input module 228. The audio output module 227 may include one or more speakers and the audio input module 228 may include one or more microphones.

[0033] As shown, the Ethernet switches 222a, 222b are in communication with the various modules of the autonomous driving subsystem 40 via one or more Ethernet networks. However, unlike the connectivity gateway module 200 discussed previously, wherein the connectivity gateway module 200 communicates with the vehicle control unit 300 via the Ethernet networks, in this example the VCU 300a is integrated with the connectivity gateway module 200a. The VCU 300a includes one or more Ethernet switches 360, a controller area network module 362, and inertial measurement unit 364, and input/output module 366, and a local interconnect network (LIN) module. While the integrated VCU 300a provides substantially similar functionality as the VCU 300, by integrating the VCU 300a into the connectivity gateway module 200a, potential redundancies in structure and functionality can be minimized. Particularly, functional safety features implemented satisfy functional safety requirements associated with autonomous vehicles can be implemented into the integrated unit, allowing certification to be obtained for the integrated unit rather than for separate connectivity gateway modules 200 and vehicle control units 300.

[0034] An external communication subsystem 230a includes one or more cellular communication modules 232, 232a-232d, such as subscriber identity module (SIM) cards for a cellular network. Thus, the cellular communication modules 232a-232d are configured to provide redundancy, such that one of the cellular communication modules 232a-232d can be utilized by the connectivity gateway module 200 in the event that the other of the cellular communication modules 232a-232d fails or a corresponding cellular network is unavailable. The external communication subsystem 230a may further include a pair of network processors 238a, 232b (e.g., router/modem) for providing communication between the external communication subsystem 230 and the Ethernet Switches 222a, 222b of the internal communication subsystem 220a and the VCU 300a. Optionally, the external communication subsystem 230 may include additional communication modules, such as an ultra wideband communication module 237 and a universal serial bus 235. Thus, while the cellular modules 232a-232d transmit data remotely via one or more cellular networks, the wireless communication module 242, ultra wideband communication module 237, and universal serial bus 235 may be configured to facilitate local communication with one or more devices, such as a wireless HMI 410b. Additionally, the local wireless communication module 242 may provide high-speed communication with the autonomous driving subsystem 40 and/or the vehicle control subsystem 30 to facilitate higher-speed communication than is available over the cellular network. This may be useful for system updates or data transfers involving relatively large amounts of data.

[0035] As shown, the autonomous driving subsystem 40a includes similar sensors 112 as discussed previously. However the sensors 112 may communicate directly with the ADCU 100 and/or the connectivity gateway module 200a, whereby the sensor gateway module 100 discussed previously is eliminated. The sensors 112 associated with the sensor gateway module 110 include various cameras 112a, 112b, 112e, ultrasonic sensors 112c, a medium range radar system 112d, and a long range radar system 112f

[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, an example method 600 for operating the delivery vehicle 10 in the vehicle control environment 20 is provided. At operation 602, the VCU 300 receives a wakeup prompt and instructs the autonomous driving subsystem 40 to initialize. At operation 604, the autonomous driving subsystem 40 receives delivery instructions 51 (e.g., location, time) from the remote vehicle management system 50 and the motion control unit 160 generates vehicle motion commands 161. At operation 606, the VCU 300 receives the vehicle motion commands 161 from the motion control unit 160. At operation 608, the VCU 300 conducts a pre-check routine to confirm that the received vehicle motion commands 161 can be safely and accurately executed by the delivery vehicle 10. Once the pre-check operation 608 is complete and the VCU 300 confirms that the route instructions 151, the VCU 300 executes the vehicle motion commands 161, the VCU 300 instructs the vehicle operation modules 310, 320, 330 to navigate the delivery vehicle 10 along the planned route at operation 610. Optionally, at operation 612, the VCU 300 may encounter a route fault, whereby the perception module 130 and the planning module 140 identify one or more faults in the planned route as the delivery vehicle 10 navigates along the path. For example, the planned route may include one or more obstructions (e.g., parked car) that were not accounted for in the vehicle motion commands 161. Upon identification of a route fault, the VCU 300 generates a route fault signal 301 and engages the teleops center 54 at operation 614. The teleops center 54 may initiate live control of the VCU 300 via the connectivity gateway module 200, whereby teleops center 54 provides revised route instructions to the VCU 300 at operation 616. The revised route instructions 55 may include revised local route instructions 55a, whereby teleops center 54 generates instructions for bypassing the route fault and returning to the originally planned route (i.e., executing the route instructions 151). Alternatively, teleops center 54 may provide revised global route instructions, whereby teleops provides new route instructions 55b that supersede the route instructions 151 generated by the routing module 150. At operation 618, the delivery vehicle 10 reaches the target destination, whether by the original route instructions 151 or using the supplemental route instructions 55a, 55b provided by teleops center 54, and generates a notification at operation 620 that the delivery vehicle 10 has arrived. The notification may be a local notification, such a sound or light signal emitted from the speaker 416 or lights 414, or it may include a remote signal, such as a message or notification delivered to a mobile device.

[0037] The vehicle control environment 20 set forth above advantageously facilities a hybrid autonomous relationship, whereby the onboard systems 30, 40 of the vehicle control environment provide autonomous operation under normal operational circumstances and the offboard systems 52, 54 provides human operational inputs in instances where the onboard systems 30, 40 determine that autonomous operation is insufficient. The connectivity gateway module 200 provides a continuous and efficient communication interface between the onboard systems 30, 40 and the remote vehicle management system 50. Particularly, by configuring the connectivity gateway module 200 with segregated internal and external communication subsystems 220, 230, the onboard systems 30, 40 and associated communications are secured behind the cyber security module 210 while the various communication modules associated with the external communication subsystem 230 can be easily connected to.

[0038] A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A computer-implemented method that, when executed by data processing hardware of an autonomous vehicle, causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising: receiving an initiation prompt; initialize an autonomous driving subsystem of the autonomous vehicle; receive destination data associated with a target delivery destination for the autonomous vehicle; generate route instructions associated with the target delivery destination; and evaluate the generated route instructions to confirm whether the generated route instructions are executable.

2. The method of Claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise, when the generated route instructions are determined to be executable, executing the route instructions.

3. The method of Claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise: while executing the route instructions, encountering a route fault corresponding to an interruption in the execution of the route instructions; and transmitting a route fault signal to a remote vehicle management system.

4. The method of Claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving revised route instructions from the remote vehicle management system; and executing the revised route instructions.

5. A communication module comprising: an external communication subsystem; and an internal communication subsystem, wherein the external communication subsystem is segregated from the internal communication subsystem by a cyber security module.

6. The communication module of Claim 5, wherein the external communication subsystem comprises: one or more cellular modules; a human-machine interface; at least one of a router or modem; a network processor; and one or more wireless modules.

7. The communication module of Claim 5 or 6, wherein the external communication subsystem comprises: one or more Ethernet switches in communication with the network processor; a positioning module; a controller area network module; and a time server.

8. A vehicle control environment for an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle control environment comprising: a remote vehicle management system including a teleops center having one or more vehicle management systems operable to monitor one or more autonomous vehicles and to generate instructions for controlling the one or more autonomous vehicles; and an autonomous vehicle comprising: an autonomous driving control unit configured to generate vehicle motion commands; a vehicle control subsystem including a vehicle control unit operable to generate vehicle control instructions for one or more vehicle operation modules based on the vehicle motion commands; and a connectivity gateway module configured to provide wireless communication between each of the autonomous driving control unit and the vehicle control subsystem and the remote vehicle management system.

9. The vehicle control environment of Claim 8, wherein the vehicle control unit is integrated with the connectivity gateway module.

10. The vehicle control environment of Claim 8, wherein the connectivity gateway module includes an (a) external communication subsystem includes an external communication subsystem and an internal communication subsystem, wherein the external communication subsystem is segregated from the internal communication subsystem by a cyber security module.

11. The vehicle control environment of Claim 10, wherein the external communication subsystem comprises: one or more cellular modules; a human-machine interface; at least one of a router or modem; a network processor; and one or more wireless modules.

12. The vehicle control environment of Claim 10 or 11, wherein the external communication subsystem comprises: one or more Ethernet switches in communication with the network processor; a positioning module; a controller area network module; and a time server.

13. The vehicle control environment of Claim 12, wherein the autonomous driving control unit includes a perception module operable to receive and process perception data from one or more sensors.

14. The vehicle control environment of Claim 13, wherein the autonomous driving control unit includes a planning module configured to generate local path planning instructions and execute decision making based on the perception data.

15. The vehicle control environment of Claim 14, wherein the autonomous driving control unit includes a routing module generates route planning and localization instructions for the autonomous vehicle based on delivery data received from the remote vehicle management system.