AV Steer-While-Stopped Control Using Reachable Boundaries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicle (AV) systems struggle to effectively steer around obstacles while stopped, as they only consider the AV's relative position to the obstacle, leading to difficulties in veering around the obstacle.
Innovation Solution
The system generates a reachable boundary based on the vehicle's condition, longitudinal speed profile, and steering limits, and compares it to a margin that represents the vehicle's trajectory while contacting an object. This determination is made using a processor to decide whether the vehicle should steer while stopped based on the proximity of the reachable boundary to the margin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the AV only considers relative position to the obstacle for SWS reasoning, then the system complexity is reduced, but the ability to effectively veer around the obstacle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically generates reachable boundaries based on current vehicle state (position, orientation, speed, steering limits) rather than using fixed geometric rules. This allows the SWS reasoning to adapt to different driving scenarios while maintaining manageable complexity through a unified dynamic model.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters considered in SWS reasoning from only relative position to include vehicle state parameters (speed, steering limits, orientation) and environmental parameters (drivable area boundaries, lane marks). This comprehensive parameter set enables effective veering while the threshold distance comparison keeps the decision logic simple.
2Manufacturing precision
If the AV uses comprehensive factors (vehicle state, speed profile, steering limits) to determine SWS, then the maneuvering accuracy is improved, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates reachable boundaries based on vehicle dynamics models before actual SWS decisions are needed. These boundaries represent all possible positions the vehicle can reach while stopped given its steering limits and speed profile. During operation, the system only needs to compare the current trajectory against these pre-computed boundaries, significantly reducing real-time computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reachable boundary acts as an intermediary representation that translates complex vehicle dynamics (steering limits, speed profile, orientation) into a simple geometric form. This intermediary allows the system to consider comprehensive maneuvering factors while making decisions through simple threshold distance comparisons rather than complex real-time simulations.
3Measurement precision
If the AV generates reachable boundary based on vehicle dynamics, then the determination accuracy of SWS is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reachable boundary is generated in advance based on vehicle dynamics characteristics and stored for quick reference. When SWS determination is needed, the system performs a simple threshold distance comparison between the current trajectory and the pre-generated boundary, avoiding time-consuming real-time dynamics simulations while maintaining high determination accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic vehicle parameters (steering limits, speed profile, orientation) to generate the reachable boundary, ensuring the boundary accurately reflects the vehicle's actual capabilities. This dynamic approach improves determination accuracy compared to static geometric rules, while the pre-generation strategy keeps processing time low during actual decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
This document discloses system, method, and computer program product embodiments for operating a vehicle. For example, the method includes: obtaining a vehicle trajectory and a location of an object in an environment; generating a margin comprising a first vehicle trajectory indicating a series of locations of the vehicle while contacting the object, a boundary of a drivable area or lane mark during a time interval in which the vehicle will travel past the object; generating a reachable boundary using a condition of the vehicle, a longitudinal speed profile and steering limits of the vehicle; comparing the reachable boundary and the margin; and concluding that the vehicle should steer while stopped when the reachable boundary is at any point within a threshold distance from the margin or that the vehicle should not steer while stopped when the reachable boundary is at no point within the threshold distance from the margin.