Devising a High-Level Command Language for the Teleoperation of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are rapidly evolving as a novel way of transportation. Nevertheless, there is a consensus that AVs cannot address all traffic scenarios independently. Consequently, there arises a need for remote human intervention. To pave the way for large-scale deployment of AVs onto public roadways, innovative models of remote operation must evolve. Such a paradigm is Tele-assistance, which posits that the low-level control of AVs should be delegated through high-level commands. Our work explores how such a command language should be constructed as a first step in designing a Tele-assistance user interface. Through interviews with 17 experienced teleoperators, we elicit a set of discrete commands that a remote operator can use to resolve various road scenarios. Subsequently, we create a scenario-command mapping and a thematic classification of the defined commands. Finally, we present an initial Tele-assistance interface design based on these commands.