The present disclosure relates to a planning method in an autonomous vehicle and a system thereof. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a hybrid planning method in an autonomous vehicle and a system thereof.
As autonomous vehicles become more prominent, many car manufacturers have invested in the development of autonomous vehicles, and several governments plan on operating mass transit systems using autonomous vehicles. In some countries, experimental autonomous vehicles have been approved.
In operation, an autonomous vehicle is configured to perform continuous sensing at all relative angles using active sensors (e.g., a lidar sensor) and/or passive sensors (e.g., a radar sensor) to determine whether an object exists in the proximity of the autonomous vehicle, and to plan a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle based on detected information regarding the object(s).
Currently, conventional planning methods in the autonomous vehicle for an object avoidance include two models. One is a rule-based model, and the other is an Artificial Intelligence-based model (AI-based model). The rule-based model needs to evaluate each of the results, and it is only applicable to a scenario within the restricted conditions. The trajectory of the AI-based model will be discontinuous, and the generation of the trajectory and the speed is not stable. Therefore, a hybrid planning method in an autonomous vehicle and a system thereof which are capable of processing a plurality of multi-dimensional variables at the same time, being equipped with learning capabilities and conforming to the dynamic constraints of the host vehicle and the continuity of trajectory planning are commercially desirable.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a hybrid planning method in an autonomous vehicle is performed to plan a best trajectory function of a host vehicle. The hybrid planning method in the autonomous vehicle includes performing a parameter obtaining step, a learning-based scenario deciding step, a learning-based parameter optimizing step and a rule-based trajectory planning step. The parameter obtaining step is performed to drive a sensing unit to sense a surrounding scenario of the host vehicle to obtain a parameter group to be learned and store the parameter group to be learned to a memory. The learning-based scenario deciding step is performed to drive a processing unit to receive the parameter group to be learned from the memory and decide one of a plurality of scenario categories that matches the surrounding scenario of the host vehicle according to the parameter group to be learned and a learning-based model. The learning-based parameter optimizing step is performed to drive the processing unit to execute the learning-based model with the parameter group to be learned to generate a key parameter group. The rule-based trajectory planning step is performed to drive the processing unit to execute a rule-based model with the one of the scenario categories and the key parameter group to plan the best trajectory function.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a hybrid planning system in an autonomous vehicle is configured to plan a best trajectory function of a host vehicle. The hybrid planning system in the autonomous vehicle includes a sensing unit, a memory and a processing unit. The sensing unit is configured to sense a surrounding scenario of the host vehicle to obtain a parameter group to be learned. The memory is configured to access the parameter group to be learned, a plurality of scenario categories, a learning-based model and a rule-based model. The processing unit is electrically connected to the memory and the sensing unit. The processing unit is configured to implement a hybrid planning method in the autonomous vehicle including performing a learning-based scenario deciding step, a learning-based parameter optimizing step and a rule-based trajectory planning step. The learning-based scenario deciding step is performed to decide one of the scenario categories that matches the surrounding scenario of the host vehicle according to the parameter group to be learned and the learning-based model. The learning-based parameter optimizing step is performed to execute the learning-based model with the parameter group to be learned to generate a key parameter group. The rule-based trajectory planning step is performed to execute the rule-based model with the one of the scenario categories and the key parameter group to plan the best trajectory function.
The present disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:
The embodiment will be described with the drawings. For clarity, some practical details will be described below. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure should not be limited by the practical details, that is, in some embodiment, the practical details is unnecessary. In addition, for simplifying the drawings, some conventional structures and elements will be simply illustrated, and repeated elements may be represented by the same labels.
It will be understood that when an element (or device) is referred to as be “connected to” another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or it can be indirectly connected to the other element, that is, intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as be “directly connected to” another element, there are no intervening elements present. In addition, the terms first, second, third, etc. are used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. Consequently, a first element or component discussed below could be termed a second element or component.
The parameter obtaining step S02 is performed to drive a sensing unit to sense a surrounding scenario of the host vehicle to obtain a parameter group 102 to be learned and store the parameter group 102 to be learned to a memory. The learning-based scenario deciding step S04 is performed to drive a processing unit to receive the parameter group 102 to be learned from the memory and decide one of a plurality of scenario categories 104 that matches the surrounding scenario of the host vehicle according to the parameter group 102 to be learned and a learning-based model. The learning-based parameter optimizing step S06 is performed to drive the processing unit to execute the learning-based model with the parameter group 102 to be learned to generate a key parameter group 106. The rule-based trajectory planning step S08 is performed to drive the processing unit to execute a rule-based model with the one of the scenario categories 104 and the key parameter group 106 to plan the best trajectory function 108. Therefore, the hybrid planning method 100 in the autonomous vehicle of the present disclosure utilizes the learning-based model to learn the driving behavior of the object avoidance, and then combines the learning-based planning with the rule-based trajectory planning to construct a hybrid planning, so that the hybrid planning can not only process a plurality of multi-dimensional variables at the same time, but also be equipped with learning capabilities and conform to the continuity of trajectory planning and the dynamic constraints of the host vehicle HV. Each of the above steps of the hybrid planning method 100 is described in more detail below.
Please refer to
The parameter obtaining step S12 is performed to drive a sensing unit to sense a surrounding scenario of the host vehicle HV to obtain a parameter group 102 to be learned and store the parameter group 102 to be learned to a memory. In detail, the parameter group 102 to be learned includes a road width LD, a relative distance RD, an object length Lobj and an object lateral distance Dobj. The road width LD represents a width of a road traveled by the host vehicle HV. The relative distance RD represents a distance between the host vehicle HV and an object Obj. The object length Lobj represents a length of the object Obj. The object lateral distance Dobj represents a distance between the object Obj and a center line of the road. In addition, the parameter obtaining step S12 includes the message sensing step S122 and the data processing step S124.
The message sensing step S122 includes performing a vehicle dynamic sensing step S1222, an object sensing step S1224 and a lane sensing step S1226. The vehicle dynamic sensing step S1222 is performed to drive a vehicle dynamic sensing device to position a current location of the host vehicle HV and a stop line of an intersection according to a map message, and sense a current heading angle, a current speed and a current acceleration of the host vehicle HV. The object sensing step S1224 is performed to drive an object sensing device to sense an object Obj within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle HV to generate an object message corresponding to the object Obj and a plurality of travelable space coordinate points corresponding to the host vehicle HV. The object message includes a current location of the object Obj, an object speed vobj and an object acceleration. The lane sensing step S1226 is performed to drive a lane sensing device to sense a road curvature and a distance between the host vehicle HV and a lane line. In addition, the input data of the message sensing step S122 include a map message, a Global Positioning System (GPS) data, an image data, a lidar data, a radar data and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data, as shown in
The data processing step S124 is implemented by a processing unit and includes performing a cutting step S1242, a grouping step S1244 and a mirroring step S1246. The cutting step S1242 is performed to cut the current location of the host vehicle HV, the current heading angle, the current speed, the current acceleration, the object message, the travelable space coordinate points, the road curvature and the distance between the host vehicle HV and the lane line to generate a cut data according to a predetermined time interval and a predetermined yaw rate change. There is a collision time interval between the host vehicle HV and the object Obj, and the host vehicle HV has a yaw rate. In response to determining that the collision time interval is smaller than or equal to the predetermined time interval, the cutting step S1242 is started. In response to determining that a change of the yaw rate is smaller than or equal to the predetermined yaw rate change, the cutting step S1242 is stopped. The predetermined time interval may be 3 seconds, and the predetermined yaw rate change may be 0.5. The changes of the yaw rates at multiple consecutive sampling timings can be comprehensively judged (e.g., the changes of the yaw rates at five consecutive sampling timings are all less than or equal to 0.5), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition, the grouping step S1244 is performed to group the cut data into a plurality of groups according to a plurality of predetermined acceleration ranges and a plurality of opposite object messages. The predetermined acceleration ranges include a predetermined conservative acceleration range and a predetermined normal acceleration range. The opposite object messages include an opposite object information and an opposite object-free information. The groups include a conservative group and a normal group. The predetermined conservative acceleration range and the opposite object-free information are corresponding to the conservative group, and the predetermined normal acceleration range and the opposite object information are corresponding to the normal group. The predetermined conservative acceleration range may be −0.1 g to 0.1 g. The predetermined normal acceleration range may be −0.2 g to −0.3 g and 0.2 g to 0.3 g, that is, 0.2 g≤|predetermined normal acceleration range|≤0.3 g, where g represents gravitational acceleration, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Therefore, the purpose of the grouping step S1244 is to distinguish the difference (conservative or normal) of driving behavior and improve the effectiveness of the training of the subsequent learning-based model. In addition, the grouping step S1244 can facilitate the switching of models or parameters, and enable the system to switch the acceleration within an executable range or avoid the object Obj. Moreover, the mirroring step S1246 is performed to mirror a vehicle trajectory function of the host vehicle HV along a vehicle traveling direction (e.g., a Y-axis) to generate a mirrored vehicle trajectory function according to each of the scenario categories 104. The parameter group 102 to be learned includes the mirrored vehicle trajectory function. The vehicle trajectory function is the trajectory traveled by the host vehicle HV and represents a driving behavior data. Accordingly, the vehicle trajectory function and the mirrored vehicle trajectory function in the mirroring step S1246 can be used for the training of the subsequent learning-based model to increase the diversity of collected data, thereby avoiding the problem of the inability to effectively distinguish the scenario categories 104 by the learning-based model due to insufficient diversity of data.
The learning-based scenario deciding step S14 is performed to drive the processing unit to receive the parameter group 102 to be learned from the memory and decide one of a plurality of scenario categories 104 that matches the surrounding scenario of the host vehicle HV according to the parameter group 102 to be learned and the learning-based model. In detail, the learning-based model is based on probability statistics and is trained by collecting real-driver driving behavior data. The learning-based model can include an end-to-end model or a sampling-based planning model. The scenario categories 104 include an object occupancy scenario, an intersection scenario and an entry/exit scenario. The object occupancy scenario has an object occupancy percentage. The object occupancy scenario represents that there are the object Obj and the road in the surrounding scenario, and the object occupancy percentage represents a percentage of the road occupied by the object Obj. For example, in
The learning-based parameter optimizing step S16 is performed to drive the processing unit to execute the learning-based model with the parameter group 102 to be learned to generate a key parameter group 106. In detail, the learning-based parameter optimizing step S16 includes performing a learning-based driving behavior generating step S162 and a key parameter generating step S164. The learning-based driving behavior generating step S162 is performed to generate a learned behavior parameter group 103 by learning the parameter group 102 to be learned according to the learning-based model. The learned behavior parameter group 103 includes a system action parameter group, a target point longitudinal distance, a target point lateral distance, a target point curvature and a target speed. The target speed represents a speed at which the host vehicle HV reaches a target point. A driving trajectory parameter group (xi,yi) and a driving acceleration/deceleration behavior parameter group can be obtained by the message sensing step S122. In other words, the parameter group 102 to be learned includes the driving trajectory parameter group (xi,yi) and the driving acceleration/deceleration behavior parameter group. In addition, the key parameter generating step S164 is performed to calculate a system action parameter group of the learned behavior parameter group 103 to obtain a system action time point, and combine the system action time point, the target point longitudinal distance, the target point lateral distance, the target point curvature, the vehicle speed vh and the target speed to form the key parameter group 106. The system action parameter group includes the vehicle speed vh, a vehicle acceleration, a steering wheel angle, the yaw rate, the relative distance RD and the object lateral distance Dobj.
The rule-based trajectory planning step S18 is performed to drive the processing unit to execute a rule-based model with the one of the scenario categories 104 and the key parameter group 106 to plan the best trajectory function 108. In detail, the one of the scenario categories 104 matches the current surrounding scenario of the host vehicle HV. The rule-based model is formulated according to definite behaviors, and the decision result depends on sensor information. The rule-based model includes polynomials or interpolation curves. In addition, the rule-based trajectory planning step S18 includes performing a target point generating step S182, a coordinate converting step S184 and a trajectory generating step S186. The target point generating step S182 is performed to drive the processing unit to generate a plurality of target points TP according to the scenario categories 104 and the key parameter group 106. The coordinate converting step S184 is performed to drive the processing unit to convert the target points TP into a plurality of two-dimensional target coordinates according to the travelable space coordinate points. The trajectory generating step S186 is performed to drive the processing unit to connect the two-dimensional target coordinates with each other to generate the best trajectory function 108. For example, in
The diagnosing step S20 is performed to diagnose whether a future driving trajectory of the host vehicle HV and the current surrounding scenario (e.g., the current road curvature, the distance between the host vehicle HV and the lane line or the relative distance RD) are maintained within a safe error tolerance, and generate a diagnosis result to determine whether the automatic driving trajectory is safe. At the same time, the parameters that need to be corrected in the future driving trajectory can be directly determined and corrected by judging the plane coordinate curve equation BTF so as to improve the safety of automatic driving.
The controlling step S22 is performed to control a plurality of automatic driving parameters of the host vehicle HV according to the diagnosis result. The detail of the controlling step S22 is the conventional technology, and will not be described again herein.
Therefore, the hybrid planning method 100a in the autonomous vehicle of the present disclosure utilizes the learning-based model to learn the driving behavior of the object avoidance, and then combines the learning-based planning with the rule-based trajectory planning to construct a hybrid planning, so that the hybrid planning method 100a can not only process a plurality of multi-dimensional variables at the same time, but also be equipped with learning capabilities and conform to the continuity of trajectory planning and the dynamic constraints of the host vehicle HV.
Please refer to
The sensing unit 300 is configured to sense a surrounding scenario of the host vehicle HV to obtain a parameter group 102 to be learned. In detail, the sensing unit 300 includes a vehicle dynamic sensing device 310, an object sensing device 320 and a lane sensing device 330. The vehicle dynamic sensing device 310, the object sensing device 320 and the lane sensing device 330 are disposed on the host vehicle HV. The vehicle dynamic sensing device 310 is configured to position a current location of the host vehicle HV and a stop line of an intersection according to the map message, and sense a current heading angle, a current speed and a current acceleration of the host vehicle HV. The vehicle dynamic sensing device 310 includes a GPS, a gyroscope, an odometer, a speed meter and an IMU. In addition, the object sensing device 320 is configured to sense an object Obj within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle HV to generate an object message corresponding to the object Obj and a plurality of travelable space coordinate points corresponding to the host vehicle HV. The object message includes a current location of the object Obj, an object speed vobj and an object acceleration. The lane sensing device 330 is configured to sense a road curvature and a distance between the host vehicle HV and a lane line. The object sensing device 320 and the lane sensing device 330 include a lidar, a radar and a camera. The detail of the structures of the object sensing device 320 and the lane sensing device 330 is the conventional technology, and will not be described again herein.
The memory 400 is configured to access the parameter group 102 to be learned, a plurality of scenario categories 104, a learning-based model and a rule-based model. The memory 400 is configured to access a map message related to a trajectory traveled by the host vehicle HV.
The processing unit 500 is electrically connected to the memory 400 and the sensing unit 300. The processing unit 500 is configured to implement the hybrid planning methods 100, 100a in the autonomous vehicle of
Therefore, the hybrid planning system 200 in the autonomous vehicle of the present disclosure utilizes the learning-based model to learn the driving behavior of the object avoidance, and then combines the learning-based planning with the rule-based trajectory planning to construct a hybrid planning, so that the hybrid planning can not only process a plurality of multi-dimensional variables at the same time, but also be equipped with learning capabilities and conform to the dynamic constraints of the host vehicle HV and the continuity of trajectory planning.
According to the aforementioned embodiments and examples, the advantages of the present disclosure are described as follows.
1. The hybrid planning method in the autonomous vehicle and the system thereof of the present disclosure utilize the learning-based model to learn the driving behavior of the object avoidance, and then combine the learning-based planning with the rule-based trajectory planning to construct a hybrid planning, so that the hybrid planning can not only process a plurality of multi-dimensional variables at the same time, but also be equipped with learning capabilities and conform to the dynamic constraints of the host vehicle and the continuity of trajectory planning.
2. The hybrid planning method in the autonomous vehicle and the system thereof of the present disclosure utilize the rule-based model to plan the specific trajectory of the host vehicle according to the specific scenario categories and the specific key parameter group. The specific trajectory of the host vehicle is already the best trajectory so as to solve the problem of the need of additional selection of generating a plurality of trajectories and then selecting one of the trajectories in the prior art.
3. The hybrid planning method in the autonomous vehicle and the system thereof of the present disclosure can update the parameter group to be learned at any time according to the sampling time of the processing unit, and then update the best trajectory function at any time, thereby greatly improving the safety and practicability of automatic driving.
Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.