DETERMINING MECHANICAL HEALTH AND ROAD CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED BY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Disclosed are methods, apparatuses, and computer implemented methods to improve the reliability and safety of the autonomous vehicles. In one aspect, a method for determining an environmental exposure of an autonomous vehicle is disclosed. The method includes obtaining sensor data from one or more shock or vibration sensors mounted to the autonomous vehicle and determining a level of vibrations or a level of shock at the autonomous vehicle based on the obtained sensor data. The method further includes adding the level of vibrations of the autonomous vehicle to an accumulated level of vibrations of the autonomous vehicle and determining whether the accumulated level of vibrations of the autonomous vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold value for the accumulated level of vibrations of the autonomous vehicle.