NAVIGATION WITH A SAFE LATERAL DISTANCE

Systems and methods are provided for navigating a host vehicle. At least one processing device may be programmed to receive an image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; determine a planned navigational action for the host vehicle; analyze the image to identify a target vehicle in the environment of the host vehicle; determine a next-state lateral distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle that would result if the planned navigational action was taken; determine a lateral braking distance for the host vehicle and the target vehicle based on a maximum yaw rate capability, a maximum change in turn radius capability, and a current lateral speed of the host vehicle and the target vehicle; and implement the planned navigational action if the determined next-state distance is greater than a sum of the lateral braking distances for the host vehicle and the target vehicle.