Towards a Common Software/Hardware Methodology for Future Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

The European research project DESERVE (DEvelopment platform for Safe and Efficient dRiVE, 2012-2015) had the aim of designing and developing a platform tool to cope with the continuously increasing complexity and the simultaneous need to reduce cost for future embedded Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). For this purpose, the DESERVE platform profits from cross-domain software reuse, standardization of automotive software component interfaces, and easy but safety-compliant integration of heterogeneous modules. This enables the development of a new generation of ADAS applications, which challengingly combine different functions, sensors, actuators, hardware platforms, and Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). This book presents the different results of the DESERVE project concerning the ADAS development platform, test case functions, and validation and evaluation of different approaches. The reader is invited to substantiate the content of this book with the deliverables published during the DESERVE project. Technical topics discussed in this book include:Modern ADAS development platforms;Design space exploration;Driving modelling;Video-based and Radar-based ADAS functions;HMI for ADAS;Vehicle-hardware-in-the-loop validation system

Towards a Common Software/Hardware Methodology for Future Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

The European research project DESERVE (DEvelopment platform for Safe and Efficient dRiVE, 2012-2015) had the aim of designing and developing a platform tool to cope with the continuously increasing complexity and the simultaneous need to reduce cost for future embedded Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). For this purpose, the DESERVE platform profits from cross-domain software reuse, standardization of automotive software component interfaces, and easy but safety-compliant integration of heterogeneous modules. This enables the development of a new generation of ADAS applications, which challengingly combine different functions, sensors, actuators, hardware platforms, and Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). This book presents the different results of the DESERVE project concerning the ADAS development platform, test case functions, and validation and evaluation of different approaches. The reader is invited to substantiate the content of this book with the deliverables published during the DESERVE project. Technical topics discussed in this book include:Modern ADAS development platforms;Design space exploration;Driving modelling;Video-based and Radar-based ADAS functions;HMI for ADAS;Vehicle-hardware-in-the-loop validation system

A holistic approach for ameliorating the effect of ‘valley of death’ in technology assimilation

Technology assimilation is an increasingly important topic in modern manufacturing industries. Successful technology assimilation not only supports the development of better products, but also can provide a competitive edge in fast-moving markets, such as the automotive industry. Technology assimilation is a complex process, with a high failure rate, with technologies that seem promising in the research phase, failing to be assimilated into the final product. This high failure rate for technology assimilation is costly, in both time and other resources, and so has resulted in the effect of the Valley of Death . Tools and methods for technology assessment are essential enablers of successful product development, a process that requires collaboration from both engineering and business professionals to be successful.This thesis presents research that was aimed at ameliorating the Valley of Death effect during technology assimilation, particularly in the environment of the automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The research was undertaken in close collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover Limited. Such collaboration provided first-hand information and direct engagement that supported and enabled this research.A review of the relevant theoretical concepts and the process of technology assimilation was undertaken, with a focus on the tools and methods that have been applied. The literature review resulted in an identification of the gaps and challenges among current technology assimilation approaches. This work also resulted in a conceptual model being developed to represent three different viewpoints that it is argued are essential to understand for successful technology assimilation, namely: Natural Technological Viewpoint, Social Technological Viewpoint and Human Technological Viewpoint. These three viewpoints were then further elaborated in a Hexahedron Model of Technology, alongside consideration of technology assimilation complexity, capability of technology and the contribution of a potential technology, allowing six different perspectives to be considered during the process of assessing if a specific technology is suitable for assimilation into a complex product.In this thesis, the Hexahedron Model of Technology, as the name suggests, allows consideration of six different facets for successful technology assimilation, and can be further elaborated to include more aspects of technology based on the future work. This model can also support an enterprise to understand how to develop the technology in a direction that might increase the likelihood of successful assimilation.The approach to technology assimilation presented in the thesis first sets out a Technology Assessment Framework and methods for populating and applying it. The Hexahedron Model of Technology provides a structural platform for assessing the subjective factors that need to be considered during technology assimilation in a structured way. This process helps to reduce the number of technologies that are considered for assimilation; by pre-eliminating some relatively weak technologies and taking forward only those more likely to succeed. A Technology Refinement and Modification Algorithm was then developed that provides suggestions, at a high-level, for the direction for technology improvement to help make the technology better match the requirements. This algorithm hence helps to further increase the chances of successful technology assimilation.The Technology Assessment Framework and Technology Refinement and Modification Algorithm were applied to two case studies. One of these cases was conducted to demonstrate the process of the proposed approach whereas the other one was part of a real-world project in collaboration with the Jaguar Land Rover Limited. Overall, this research demonstrates a two-step holistic approach to technology assimilation that first reduces the number of technologies considered for assimilation and then establishes the direction for development of new technology to improve the likelihood of successful technology assimilation.</div

A Research Approach to Study Human Factors in Transportation Systems

This thesis proposes a new general-purpose methodology to conduct studies on Human Factors in Transportation Systems.A full-fledged setup and implementation of the methodology is provided for validation. This setup, which uses real data to perform the simulation, includes a traffic micro-simulator, a driving simulator, a traffic control centre and an Advanced Driver Assistance System, providing an experimentation laboratory, in which empirical research can be conducted. The communication between the simulation components is made interchangeably using both the European standard Datex II and the SUMO TraCI protocols.Several usage scenarios are implemented and indications on how to extend the methodology to accommodate different requirements are provided; as to prove its usability and feasibility. A simple Human Factors study was conducted using the implemented setup. This study uses naturalistc data and evaluates the network performance gain by using an Advanced Driver Assistance System that recommends new routes to drivers in congestion situations and provides a final validation of the methodology.In conclusion, the methodology has been proved usable to effectively conduct Human Factors research and also to develop Advanced Driver Assistance Systems applications in a controlled, yet realistic environment.This thesis proposes a new general-purpose methodology to conduct studies on Human Factors in Transportation Systems.A full-fledged setup and implementation of the methodology is provided for validation. This setup, which uses real data to perform the simulation, includes a traffic micro-simulator, a driving simulator, a traffic control centre and an Advanced Driver Assistance System, providing an experimentation laboratory, in which empirical research can be conducted. The communication between the simulation components is made interchangeably using both the European standard Datex II and the SUMO TraCI protocols.Several usage scenarios are implemented and indications on how to extend the methodology to accommodate different requirements are provided; as to prove its usability and feasibility. A simple Human Factors study was conducted using the implemented setup. This study uses naturalistc data and evaluates the network performance gain by using an Advanced Driver Assistance System that recommends new routes to drivers in congestion situations and provides a final validation of the methodology.In conclusion, the methodology has been proved usable to effectively conduct Human Factors research and also to develop Advanced Driver Assistance Systems applications in a controlled, yet realistic environment

Holistic simulation for integrated vehicle design

A holistic vehicle simulation capability is necessary for front-loading component, subsystem, and controller design, for the early detection of component and subsystem design flaws, as well as for the model-based calibration of powertrain control modules. The current document explores the concept of holistic vehicle simulation by means of reviewing the current trends automotive system design and available solutions in terms of model interfaces and neutral modelling environments. The review is followed by the presentation of a Simulink-based Multi- disciplinary Modelling Environment (MME) developed by the authors to accommodate simulation work across the vehicle development cycle

AutoDRIVE Simulator: A Simulator for Scaled Autonomous Vehicle Research and Education

AutoDRIVE is envisioned to be an integrated research and education platform for scaled autonomous vehicles and related applications. This work is a stepping-stone towards achieving the greater goal of realizing such a platform. Particularly, this work introduces the AutoDRIVE Simulator, a high-fidelity simulator for scaled autonomous vehicles. The proposed simulation ecosystem is developed atop the Unity game engine, and exploits its features in order to simulate realistic system dynamics and render photorealistic graphics. It comprises of a scaled vehicle model equipped with a comprehensive sensor suite for redundant perception, a set of actuators for constrained motion control and a fully functional lighting system for illumination and signaling. It also provides a modular environment development kit, which comprises of various environment modules that aid in reconfigurable construction of the scene. Additionally, the simulator features a communication bridge in order to extend an interface to the autonomous driving software stack developed independently by the users. This work describes some of the prominent components of this simulation system along with some key features that it has to offer in order to accelerate education and research aimed at autonomous driving

A design framework for developing a reconfigurable driving simulator

Fahrsimulatoren werden seit Jahrzehnten erfolgreich in verschiedenen Anwendungsbe-reichen eingesetzt. Sie unterscheiden sich weitgehend in ihrer Struktur, Genauigkeit, Komplexität und in ihren Kosten. Heutzutage werden Fahrsimulatoren in der Regel in-dividuell für eine spezielle Aufgabe entwickelt und haben typischerweise eine festgeleg-te Struktur. Bei der Nutzung eines Fahrsimulators in einem Anwendungsbereich wie der Entwicklung von fortgeschrittenen Fahrerassistenzsystemen (FFAS) werden jedoch mehrere Varianten des Fahrsimulators benötigt. Es besteht daher Handlungsbedarf für die Entwicklung eines rekonfigurierbaren Fahrsimulators, der es dem Betreiber des Fahrsimulators ermöglicht, ohne umfassende Fachkenntnisse problemlos verschiedene Varianten zu erstellen. Um diese Herausforderung zu bewältigen wurde eine Entwick-lungssystematik für die Entwicklung eines rekonfigurierbaren Fahrsimulators entwi-ckelt. Die Entwicklungssystematik besteht aus einem Vorgehensmodell und einem Kon-figurationswerkzeug. Das Vorgehensmodell beschreibt die benötigten Entwicklungspha-sen, die vollständigen Aufgaben jeder Phase und die in der Entwicklung eingesetzten Methoden. Das Konfigurationswerkzeug organisiert die Lösungselemente des Fahrsimu-lators und ermöglicht dem Betreiber des Fahrsimulators, durch Auswählen einer Kombi-nation von Lösungselementen nach dem Baukastenprinzip verschiedene Varianten des Fahrsimulators zu erstellen. Die Entwicklungssystematik wird durch die Entwicklung eines rekonfigurierbaren FFAS-Fahrsimulators und durch die Erstellung von drei unter-schiedlichen Varianten dieses Fahrsimulators validiert.Driving simulators have been used successfully in various application fields for decades. They vary widely in their structure, fidelity, complexity and cost. Nowadays, driving simulators are usually custom-designed for a specific task and they typically have a fixed structure. Nevertheless, using the driving simulator in an application field, such as the development of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), requires several variants of the driving simulator. Therefore, there is a need to develop a reconfigurable driving simulator which allows its operator to easily create different variants without in-depth expertise in the system structure. In order to solve this challenge, a Design Framework for Developing a Reconfigurable Driving Simulator has been developed. The design framework consists of a procedure model and a configuration tool. The pro-cedure model describes the required development phases, the entire tasks of each phase and the used methods in the development. The configuration tool organizes the driving simulators solution elements and allows its operator to create different variants of the driving simulator by selecting a combination of the solution elements, which are like building blocks. The design framework is validated by developing an ADAS reconfigu-rable driving simulator and by creating three variants of this driving simulator.Tag der Verteidigung: 13.06.2014Paderborn, Univ., Diss., 201