US Patent 9791861 Autonomously servicing self-driving vehicles

A method and/or computer program product autonomously drives a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to a service facility. One or more processors receive sensor readings from an SDV equipment maintenance sensor on the SDV. The SDV equipment maintenance sensor detects a state of equipment on the SDV indicative of a need for maintenance service for the SDV. The processor(s) identify a service facility capable of providing the maintenance service, and determine an amount of time required for the SDV to travel to and from a current location of the SDV to the service facility and to receive the maintenance service. The processor(s) identify a time window in which a user of the SDV will not need the SDV, and then direct the SDV to autonomously drive to the service facility during the time window in which the user of the SDV will not need the SDV.