Keywords: Autonomous vehicles, optimal control, obstacle avoidance, real-time path control, on-line operation.

Abstract

An optimal control approach to vehicle motion control in dynamic environments including moving obstacles is presented along with a numerical optimization algorithm for calculation of the optimal control trajectories. Low computation times allow for the solution of the optimal motion control problem to be effectuated on-line, via the rolling horizon concept, based on updated real-time measurements of the number, the positions, the speeds, and the dimensions of the obstacles. The presented concept provides considerable flexibility with respect to the vehicle model, the vehicle mission, and the motion constraints to be considered. Simulation examples demonstrate the efficiency of the approach for some selected vehicle missions and conflict situations.