Search Results

Abstract This study aims to take the first step in bridging the gap between vehicle dynamics systems and autonomous control strategies research. More specifically, a nested method is employed to evaluate the collision avoidance ability of autonomous vehicles in the primary design stage theoretically based on both dynamics and control parameters. An integrated model is derived from a half car mathematical model in the lateral direction, consisting of two degrees of freedom, lateral deviation and yaw angle, with a traction mathematical model in the longitudinal direction, consisting of two degrees of freedom, the longitudinal velocity and rolling velocity of the wheel. The integrated model uses a mathematical power train model to generate the torque on the wheel and connects the two systems via the magic formula tyre model to represent the tyre non-linearity during augmented longitudinal and lateral dynamic attitudes.

Abstract Obstacle avoidance is an important function in self-driving vehicle control. When the vehicle move from any arbitrary start positions to any target positions in environment, a proper path must avoid both static obstacles and moving obstacles of arbitrary shape. There are many possible scenarios, manually tackling all possible cases will likely yield a too simplistic policy. In this paper reinforcement learning is applied to the problem to form effective strategies. There are two major challenges that make self-driving vehicle different from other robotic tasks. Firstly, in order to control the vehicle precisely, the action space must be continuous which can’t be dealt with by traditional Q-learning. Secondly, self-driving vehicle must satisfy various constraints including vehicle dynamics constraints and traffic rules constraints. Three contributions are made in this paper.

Abstract Path tracking is an essential stage for vehicle safety control. It is more newsworthy than ever in the automotive context and especially for autonomous vehicle. The study proposes an optimal control method for path tracking problem in inverse vehicle handling dynamics. The proposed method generates an expected trajectory which guarantees minimum clearance to the prescribed path by identifying the optimal steering torque input. Based on this purpose, the path tracking problem, which is treated as an optimal control problem, is then solved by local collocation method and mesh refinement. Finally, a real vehicle test is executed to verify the rationality of the proposed model and methodology. The results show that using control variables as a mesh refinement function can capture the dramatic changes in state variables, and the efficiency improvement is more significant as the number of the grid points increases.

Abstract In the automotive domain, the overall complexity of technical components has increased enormously. Formerly isolated, purely mechanical cars are now a multitude of cyber-physical systems that are continuously interacting with other IT systems, for example, with the smartphone of their driver or the backend servers of the car manufacturer. This has huge security implications as demonstrated by several recent research papers that document attacks endangering the safety of the car. However, there is, to the best of our knowledge, no holistic overview or structured description of the complex automotive domain. Without such a big picture, distinct security research remains isolated and is lacking interconnections between the different subsystems. Hence, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the overall security of a car or to identify aspects that have not been sufficiently covered by security analyses.

Abstract The advancement towards development of autonomy follows either the bottom-up approach of gradually improving and expanding existing Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) technology where the driver is present in the control loop or the top-down approach of directly developing autonomous vehicle hardware and software using alternative approaches without the driver present in the control loop. Most ADAS systems today fall under the classification of SAE Level 1 which is also referred to as the driver assistance level. The progression from SAE Level 1 to SAE Level 2 or partial automation involves the critical task of merging automated lateral control and automated longitudinal control such that the tasks of steering and acceleration/deceleration are not required to be handled by the driver under certain conditions [1].

Abstract Future SAE Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles (AV) will require novel applications of localization, perception, control, and artificial intelligence technology in order to offer innovative and disruptive solutions to current mobility problems. This article concentrates on low-speed autonomous shuttles that are transitioning from being tested in limited traffic, dedicated routes to being deployed as SAE Level 4 automated driving vehicles in urban environments like college campuses and outdoor shopping centers within smart cities. The Ohio State University has designated a small segment in an underserved area of the campus as an initial AV pilot test route for the deployment of low-speed autonomous shuttles. This article presents initial results of ongoing work on developing solutions to the localization and perception challenges of this planned pilot deployment.

Abstract The ability of senior citizens as well as other members of the general population to engage in an effective manner with technology is of increasing importance as new and innovative technologies become available. While recognizing the challenges that technologies can have on different populations, the ability to interact successfully with new technologies will, for seniors, have important consequences that can affect their quality of life and those of their families in numerous and important ways. This study, building upon previous research, examines the major dimensions of decision-making regarding attitudes toward autonomous vehicle technologies (ATVs) and their use. The study utilized data from a study of senior citizens in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area and compared the results with a sample of graduate students from a local university.

Abstract Automotive cybersecurity is steadily becoming a key factor in the worldwide adoption of connected and self-driving vehicles. Following the trend set by legislation mandating standardized vehicle safety, international standards and legislation are being put into place to mandate vehicle security. Due to cultural and legal system differences, the priorities of different countries’ legislation often differ. This article seeks to explore the different approaches taken by countries in some of the major automotive markets, with a special emphasis on that of the Japanese automotive security landscape.

Abstract TOC

Abstract TOC

Abstract TOC

Abstract Traditionally, Electronic Control Units (ECUs) in vehicles have been left unsecured. Ensuring cybersecurity in an ECU network is challenging as there is no centralized authority in the vehicle to provide security as a service. While progress has been made to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities, many of these approaches have focused on enterprise, software-centric systems and require more computational resources than typically available for onboard vehicular devices. Furthermore, vehicle networks have the additional challenge of mitigating security vulnerabilities while satisfying safety and performance constraints. This article introduces a blockchain framework to detect unauthorized modifications to vehicle ECUs. A proof of concept blockchain prototype framework is implemented on a set of microprocessors (comparable to those used by simple ECUs) as a means to assess the efficacy of using our blockchain approach to detect unauthorized updates.

Abstract In recent years, to avoid the failure of the onboard perception system, intelligent vehicle infrastructure cooperative systems have been attracting attention in the field of autonomous vehicles. Using the perception technology of roadside sensors to provide supplementary traffic information for autonomous vehicles has become an increasing trend. Several roadside perception solutions select deep learning for three-dimensional (3D) object detection. However, deep learning methods have several issues and lack reliability in practical engineering applications. To tackle this challenge, this study proposes a pedestrian detection algorithm based on roadside Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) by combining traditional and deep learning algorithms. To meet real-time demand, Octree with region-of-interest (ROI) selection is introduced and improved to filter the background in each frame, which improves the clustering speed.

Abstract Identifying and eliminating failure scenarios is critical in the development of autonomous vehicle (AV) systems. However, finding such failures through real-world vehicle-level testing is a difficult task as system disengagements and accidents are rare occurrences. Simulation approaches have been proposed to supplement vehicle-level testing and reduce the costs associated with operating large fleets of autonomous test vehicles. While one can run more vehicles in simulation than in the real world, applying traditional Monte Carlo sampling techniques to find failures still yields an unguided search and a large waste of computing resources. A more directed method than random sampling is needed to identify failure scenarios in a computationally efficient manner. Adaptive Stress Testing (AST) is a method that uses reinforcement learning (RL) paradigms to efficiently find failure scenarios in stochastic sequential decision-making systems.

Abstract Weather conditions such as rain, fog, snow, and dust can adversely impact sensing and perception, limit operational envelopes, and compromise the safety and reliability of advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous vehicles. Physical testing of an autonomous system in a weather laboratory and on-road is costly and slow and exposes the system to only a limited set of weather conditions. To overcome the limitations of physical testing, a physics-based simulation workflow was developed by coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with optical simulations of camera and lidar sensors. The computational data of various weather conditions can be rapidly generated by CFD and used to assess the impact of weather conditions on the sensors and perception algorithms.

Abstract ICVs are expected to make the transportation safer, cleaner, and more comfortable in the near future. However, the trend of connectivity has greatly increased the attack surfaces of vehicles, which makes in-vehicle networks more vulnerable to cyberattacks which then causes serious security and safety issues. In this article, we therefore systematically analyzed cyberattacks and corresponding countermeasures for in-vehicle networks of intelligent and connected vehicles (ICVs). Firstly, we analyzed the security risk of ICVs and proposed an in-vehicle network model from a hierarchical point of view. Then, we discussed possible cyberattacks at each layer of proposed network model.

Abstract The rapid development of connected and automated vehicle technologies together with cloud-based mobility services is transforming the transportation industry. As a result, huge amounts of consumer data are being collected and utilized to provide personalized mobility services. Using big data poses serious challenges to data privacy. To that end, the risks of privacy leakage are amplified by data aggregations from multiple sources and exchanging data with third-party service providers, in face of the recent advances in data analytics. This article provides a review of the connected vehicle landscape from case studies, system characteristics, and dataflows. It also identifies potential challenges and countermeasures.

Abstract Autonomous vehicles require precise knowledge of their position and orientation in all weather and traffic conditions for path planning, perception, control, and general safe operation. Here we derive these requirements for autonomous vehicles based on first principles. We begin with the safety integrity level, defining the allowable probability of failure per hour of operation based on desired improvements on road safety today. This draws comparisons with the localization integrity levels required in aviation and rail where similar numbers are derived at 10−8 probability of failure per hour of operation. We then define the geometry of the problem where the aim is to maintain knowledge that the vehicle is within its lane and to determine what road level it is on.

Abstract The development of connected-vehicle technology, which includes vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, opens the door for unprecedented active safety and driver-enhanced systems. In addition to exchanging basic traffic messages among vehicles for safety applications, a significantly higher level of safety can be achieved when vehicles and designated infrastructure locations share their sensor data. In this article, we propose a new system where cameras installed on multiple vehicles and infrastructure locations share and fuse their visual data and detected objects in real time. The transmission of camera data and/or detected objects (e.g., pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, etc.) can be accomplished by many communication methods. In particular, such communications can be accomplished using the emerging Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) technology.

Abstract This work was supported jointly by the National Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51875184 and the National key R&D programs, China New energy vehicles focus on special projects under Grant No. 2016YFB0100903-2.