Sensitivity and Performance Evaluation of Multiple-Model State Estimation Algorithms for Autonomous Vehicle Functions

Robust object tracking and maneuver estimation methods play significant role in the design of advanced driver assistant systems and self-driving cars. As an input to situation understanding and awareness, the performance of such algorithms influences the overall effectiveness of motion planning and plays high role in safety. The paper examines the suitability of different probabilistic state estimation methods, namely, the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and the more general Particle Filter (PF) with the addition of the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) approach. These algorithms are not capable of predicting motion for long term in road traffic conditions, though their robustness and model classification capability are essential for the overall system. The performance is evaluated in road traffic scenarios where the tracked object imitates the motion characteristics of a road vehicle and is observed from a stationary sensor. The measurements are generated according to standard automotive radar models. The analysis conducted along two aspects emphasizes the different performance and scaling properties of the examined state estimation algorithms. The presented evaluation framework serves as a customizable method to test and develop advanced autonomous functions

Temperature Dependent Parameter Estimation of Electrical Vehicle Batteries

Parameter estimation of electrical vehicle batteries in the presence of temperature effect is addressed in this work. A simple parametric temperature dependent battery model is used for this purpose where the temperature dependence is described by static relationships. A two-step method is used that includes a parameter estimation step of the key parameters at different temperatures followed by a static optimization step that determines the temperature coefficients of the corresponding parameters. It was found that the temperature dependent parameter characteristics can be reliably estimated from charging profiles only. The proposed method can be used as a computationally effective way of determining the key battery parameters at a given temperature from their actual estimated values and from their previously determined static temperature dependence. The proposed parameter estimation method was verified by simulation experiments on a more complex battery model that also describes the detailed dynamic thermal behavior of the battery

PHD Filter for Object Tracking in Road Traffic Applications Considering Varying Detectability

This paper considers the object detection and tracking problem in a road traffic situation from a traffic participant’s perspective. The information source is an automotive radar which is attached to the ego vehicle. The scenario characteristics are varying object visibility due to occlusion and multiple detections of a vehicle during a scanning interval. The goal is to maintain and report the state of undetected though possibly present objects. The proposed algorithm is based on the multi-object Probability Hypothesis Density filter. Because the PHD filter has no memory, the estimate of the number of objects present can change abruptly due to erroneous detections. To reduce this effect, we model the occlusion of the object to calculate the state-dependent detection probability. Thus, the filter can maintain unnoticed but probably valid hypotheses for a more extended period. We use the sequential Monte Carlo method with clustering for implementing the filter. We distinguish between detected, undetected, and hidden particles within our framework, whose purpose is to track hidden but likely present objects. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated using highway radar measurements