Dynamic Speed Adaptation for Path Tracking Based on Curvature Information and Speed Limits

Area of Science:

• Autonomous Systems
• Road Safety Engineering
• Vehicle Dynamics

Background:

• Vehicle safety is paramount, with Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) systems addressing speed limits.
• Current ISA systems lack consideration for dynamic road geometry, such as curvature, limiting their effectiveness.
• Fatal crashes and severe injuries remain a concern in road transportation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a Dynamic Speed Adaptation (DSA) method for autonomous vehicles.
• To integrate road curvature and speed limits for optimized vehicle speed control.
• To enhance driving safety and passenger comfort by reducing lateral errors and respecting speed limits.

Main Methods:

• Developed a DSA method incorporating road curvature and speed limits for automatic speed adjustment.
• Implemented 'curve analysis extraction' and 'speed limits database creation' algorithms.
• Utilized GPS information for off-line analysis to identify high curvature segments and estimate safe speeds per curve.

Main Results:

• The DSA method significantly reduces lateral errors on sharp curves.
• Experimental simulations demonstrate adherence to speed limits and improved safety.
• The system ensures smooth transitions between current and ideal vehicle speeds.

Conclusions:

• The proposed DSA method enhances autonomous vehicle safety and passenger comfort.
• Integrating road geometry with speed limits offers a more effective approach to speed adaptation.
• DSA proves effective in simulations for reducing risks associated with sharp curves and speed limit violations.