Lane Centering Control Using Lane Quality Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle vision systems lack an effective method to maintain a vehicle centered within a traffic lane, especially when lane markers are faded or of varying quality, which can lead to instability and loss of lane detection confidence.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system equipped with a forward-viewing camera and an electronic control unit (ECU) processes image data to determine lane information and quality, generating a steering command to center the vehicle within the lane, using a decision-making module to enable or disable the lane centering functionality based on lane quality thresholds and applying a rate limiter to smooth lane width adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle vision system attempts to detect lane markers with varying quality, then the system can operate in more diverse road conditions, but the detection confidence and stability deteriorate when lane markers are faded
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the lane centering control based on the detected lane quality. When lane markers are clear, full centering control is applied; when markers are faded or quality is poor, the system reduces or disables centering control. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to operate in diverse road conditions while maintaining reliability by adjusting its behavior to match the current detection confidence level.
2Measurement precision
If the system applies aggressive steering corrections to maintain lane centering, then the vehicle positioning accuracy improves, but the vehicle stability deteriorates due to oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from lane detection quality to modulate the strength of steering corrections. Instead of applying fixed aggressive corrections, the system continuously monitors lane marker quality and adjusts the centering control intensity accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that steering corrections are strong enough to maintain positioning accuracy when conditions permit, but reduced when quality issues arise, thereby preventing oscillations and maintaining vehicle stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the system disables lane centering control when lane quality is poor, then vehicle stability is maintained, but the lane centering functionality is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically modulates the lane centering control strength based on real-time lane quality assessment rather than completely disabling it. This allows the system to maintain partial centering functionality even in challenging conditions, optimizing the balance between stability and productivity. The control strength is adjusted continuously to match the detection confidence, ensuring the system remains productive when possible while maintaining stability when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular control system includes a camera that captures image data. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) for processing image data captured by the camera. The ECU, via processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera, determines lane information of a traffic lane along a road being traveled by the equipped vehicle. The ECU determines a lane quality value that represents a confidence in the determined lane information. When the lane quality value exceeds a threshold value, and based at least in part on the determined lane information, the ECU provides a steering command to a steering system of the equipped vehicle to adjust a heading of the equipped vehicle to center the equipped vehicle within the traffic lane of the road being traveled by the equipped vehicle.