AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE NAVIGATION USING MAP FRAGMENTS

An apparatus autonomously operates at least one system of a vehicle as the vehicle navigates along a route through at least a portion of a traversable network in a sensor-based navigation mode. The apparatus obtains a map fragment corresponding to an area along the route; and, responsive to determining that the vehicle is located within the area, autonomously operates the at least one system of the vehicle as the vehicle navigates a portion of the route within the area in a map-based navigation mode using map data of the map fragment. Responsive to determining that the vehicle has exited the area, the apparatus autonomously operates the at least one system of the vehicle as the vehicle continues to navigate along the route in the sensor-based navigation mode. The map fragment is a portion of a high definition map configured to enable map-based autonomous vehicle navigation/control.