Laser scanner-based navigation for commercial vehicles

In this paper a novel navigation system for commercial vehicles using laser range sensors is presented, which in particular supports backward driving of trucks and truck-trailer combinations in order to approach target objects or target positions precisely and collision-free. The system can be used in an autonomous or a semi-autonomous manner and is aimed to relieve drivers of the stress of maneuvering tasks and to help them avoid damages. A laser range scanner mounted at the rear of the vehicle measures the pose of all objects in the scene. After target selection the system generates a navigable path from the current position to the final target position. During the approach the system tracks the target object using a hierarchical, multi-phase object model and continuously computes the current vehicle pose. It controls the vehicle along the planned path by generating commands for autonomous steering and speed limitation as well as for braking at the final target position and for collision avoidance. The driver only supervises the approach and confirms vehicle motion by using the throttle pedal. For system evaluation a very challenging application example has been implemented which is backward driving under a swap body for picking it up and interchanging it. The prototypical application has been successfully tested with a truck and a truck-trailer combination under varying environmental conditions. The results prove the system's suitability for further applications.