Passive infrared guidance systems and methods for extended driving of autonomous vehicles on the road include at least one forward-looking infrared image sensor mounted on the vehicle that operates and communicates with an image processor connected to the vehicle's driving system. Includes. The system uses thermal images to identify the left and right edges of the road, and further identifies the center line of the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling based on the left and right edges of the identified road. The system then compares the center line of the identified driving lane with the actual position of the vehicle and identifies the necessary adjustments to the position of the vehicle based on the comparison. Specifying the left and right edges may include identifying the difference between a thermal feature that represents a portion of the road and a thermal feature that represents a non-road portion adjacent to a portion of the road. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1
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