Title: Optimisation of high-speed crash avoidance in autonomous vehicles

Authors: Matthew C. Best

Addresses: Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK

Abstract: In the context of a future scenario of autonomous vehicle platooning, this paper considers the optimisation of a vehicle's standard brake, acceleration and steering control inputs, for collision avoidance. We consider the case where escape into the neighbouring lane is feasible. An iterative simulation-based method is used, which allows vehicle parameters to be optimised simultaneously; this also allows us to find the best vehicle handling balance for such a manoeuvre and to quantify the cost of suboptimal design. The paper also considers the relative advantages of speed reduction in conjunction with rapid lane change. The goal here is to quantify the best possible vehicle escape manoeuvre and the relative cost of alternative strategies. The paper does not provide an immediately practicable controller, but simple open-loop approximation of the optimal controls suggests a route towards future real-time solution.

Keywords: vehicle handling; vehicle dynamics; optimisation; obstacle avoidance; vehicle design; autonomous vehicles; high-speed crashes; crash avoidance; vehicle platooning; vehicle braking; vehicle acceleration; steering control; collision avoidance; iterative simulation; optimal control; speed reduction; rapid lane changes; vehicle escape manoeuvres.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVAS.2012.051269

International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 2012 Vol.10 No.4, pp.337 - 354

Received: 13 Apr 2011
Accepted: 25 Dec 2011
Published online: 31 Dec 2014 *

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