US Patent 11325618 Operation control apparatus, operation control method, and vehicle

An operation control apparatus executes sending operation instructions to vehicles running in an autonomous driving mode such that a time interval at which the vehicles running in the autonomous driving mode pass a selected point in a route is substantially constant, receiving, from any one vehicle running in the autonomous driving mode, a notification that the vehicle switches into a manual driving mode in response to an instruction of a boarding staff, and sending operation instructions to the vehicle having switched into the manual driving mode and the vehicle that continues running in the autonomous driving mode such that a time interval at which the vehicle having switched into the manual driving mode and the vehicle that continues running in the autonomous driving mode pass a selected point in the route is substantially constant in a set time from when the operation control apparatus has received the notification.