OBJECT DETECTION USING SHADOWS

Some objects in an external environment of a vehicle may be difficult to detect by a human driver or by vehicle sensors. Such object may be indirectly detected using information in the external environment of the vehicle. Sensor data of the external environment of the vehicle can be acquired using one or more sensors, which can be located onboard the vehicle. An external transmitter or transmission can be detected based on the acquired sensor data. The acquired sensor data can also be used to identify the external transmitter or transmission. A shadow can be detected in the acquired sensor data. An object in the external environment can be detected using at least in part the detected shadow. In some instances, a characteristic associated with the identified external transmitter or transmission can also be used to detect the object and/or one or more characteristics of the object.