Training a Fast Object Detector for LiDAR Range Images Using Labeled Data from Sensors with Higher Resolution

In this paper, we describe a strategy for training neural networks for object detection in range images obtained from one type of LiDAR sensor using labeled data from a different type of LiDAR sensor. Additionally, an efficient model for object detection in range images for use in self-driving cars is presented. Currently, the highest performing algorithms for object detection from LiDAR measurements are based on neural networks. Training these networks using supervised learning requires large annotated datasets. Therefore, most research using neural networks for object detection from LiDAR point clouds is conducted on a very small number of publicly available datasets. Consequently, only a small number of sensor types are used. We use an existing annotated dataset to train a neural network that can be used with a LiDAR sensor that has a lower resolution than the one used for recording the annotated dataset. This is done by simulating data from the lower resolution LiDAR sensor based on the higher resolution dataset. Furthermore, improvements to models that use LiDAR range images for object detection are presented. The results are validated using both simulated sensor data and data from an actual lower resolution sensor mounted to a research vehicle. It is shown that the model can detect objects from 360{\deg} range images in real time

Uncertainty Estimation in One-Stage Object Detection

Environment perception is the task for intelligent vehicles on which all subsequent steps rely. A key part of perception is to safely detect other road users such as vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. With modern deep learning techniques huge progress was made over the last years in this field. However such deep learning based object detection models cannot predict how certain they are in their predictions, potentially hampering the performance of later steps such as tracking or sensor fusion. We present a viable approaches to estimate uncertainty in an one-stage object detector, while improving the detection performance of the baseline approach. The proposed model is evaluated on a large scale automotive pedestrian dataset. Experimental results show that the uncertainty outputted by our system is coupled with detection accuracy and the occlusion level of pedestrians

Towards Safe Autonomous Driving: Capture Uncertainty in the Deep Neural Network For Lidar 3D Vehicle Detection

To assure that an autonomous car is driving safely on public roads, its object detection module should not only work correctly, but show its prediction confidence as well. Previous object detectors driven by deep learning do not explicitly model uncertainties in the neural network. We tackle with this problem by presenting practical methods to capture uncertainties in a 3D vehicle detector for Lidar point clouds. The proposed probabilistic detector represents reliable epistemic uncertainty and aleatoric uncertainty in classification and localization tasks. Experimental results show that the epistemic uncertainty is related to the detection accuracy, whereas the aleatoric uncertainty is influenced by vehicle distance and occlusion. The results also show that we can improve the detection performance by 1%-5% by modeling the aleatoric uncertainty.Comment: Accepted to present in the 21st IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC 2018

Multi-Object Tracking with Interacting Vehicles and Road Map Information

In many applications, tracking of multiple objects is crucial for a perception of the current environment. Most of the present multi-object tracking algorithms assume that objects move independently regarding other dynamic objects as well as the static environment. Since in many traffic situations objects interact with each other and in addition there are restrictions due to drivable areas, the assumption of an independent object motion is not fulfilled. This paper proposes an approach adapting a multi-object tracking system to model interaction between vehicles, and the current road geometry. Therefore, the prediction step of a Labeled Multi-Bernoulli filter is extended to facilitate modeling interaction between objects using the Intelligent Driver Model. Furthermore, to consider road map information, an approximation of a highly precise road map is used. The results show that in scenarios where the assumption of a standard motion model is violated, the tracking system adapted with the proposed method achieves higher accuracy and robustness in its track estimations