An apparatus for traveling through a transportation network performs a method including generating a display that includes a geographical area about a starting location for route assistance through the transportation network and a virtual vehicle at the starting location, and forming a virtual path for the route assistance using the virtual vehicle. The virtual path includes a first portion obtained from advancing the virtual vehicle from the starting location while an autonomous vehicle (AV) is at the starting location and a second portion obtained from, after the virtual vehicle departs from the starting location, extrapolating from the virtual vehicle through the geographical area to a stopping location or an ending location of the route assistance. Points along the virtual path are continually transmitted to a trajectory planner of the AV while the virtual vehicle advances through the geographical area, and the trajectory planner generates a route for the AV conforming to the virtual path.