US Patent 9528838 Autonomous vehicle detection of and response to intersection priority

An automated driving system and methods are disclosed. The automated driving system includes a perception system disposed on an autonomous vehicle. The automated driving system can detect, using the perception system, a neighboring vehicle proximate to an intersection, identify two or more potential paths through the intersection for the neighboring vehicle, determine a path priority for each of the two or more potential paths, and determine a path priority for a planned path through the intersection for the autonomous vehicle. If the path priority of at least one of the potential paths is higher than the path priority of the planned path, the automated driving system can send a command to one or more vehicle systems configured to allow the neighboring vehicle to proceed through the intersection before the autonomous vehicle.