Path planning for vehicle based on accident intensity

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining a path for a vehicle. The method includes obtaining an accident intensity for each of a plurality of road portions of an estimated route to be traveled by a vehicle. The method further includes determining a path of the vehicle along the estimated route based on the obtained accident intensities under a set of constraints. The set of constraints includes at least one of a route travel time constraint for the path along the estimated route and a route risk constraint, and the determined path includes a speed profile along the estimated route. The invention further relates to a corresponding computer-readable storage medium, apparatus, and a vehicle including such an apparatus.

1 . A computer-implemented method for determining a path for a vehicle, the method comprising:
 obtaining an accident intensity for each of a plurality of road portions of an estimated route to be traveled by a vehicle; and   determining a path of the vehicle along the estimated route based on the obtained accident intensities under a set of constraints, wherein the set of constraints comprises at least one of a route travel time constraint for the path along the estimated route and a route risk constraint, and wherein the determined path comprises a speed profile along the estimated route.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the accident intensity is an intensity in a Poisson sense. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining the path comprises:
 determining, by an optimization algorithm, the path of the vehicle along the estimated route based on the obtained accident intensities under the set of constraints, wherein the optimization algorithm is configured to output a path for the estimated route that is associated with the lowest route risk under the route travel time constraint.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining the path comprises:
 determining, by an optimization algorithm, the path of the vehicle along the estimated route based on the obtained accident intensities under the set of constraints, wherein the optimization algorithm is configured to output a path for the estimated route that is associated with the shortest route travel time under the route risk constraint.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each accident intensity is in the form of a function of speed on an associated road portion. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the function is a linear function. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting a signal indicative of the determined path to a Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) of the vehicle and/or to a control system of the vehicle.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein transmitting the signal indicative of the determined path to the HMI of the vehicle comprises:
 at an electronic device with a display:
 displaying on the display a user interface comprising:
 a graphical representation indicative of the determined path. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the signal indicative of the determined path to a control system of the vehicle, the method further comprising:
 controlling the vehicle, by the control system, to execute the determined path along the estimated route.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining positional data of a vehicle, the positional data indicating a geographical position and a heading of the vehicle;   obtaining environmental data associated with the estimated route for the vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the positional data is further indicative of the estimated route. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the environmental data is further indicative of a speed limit associated with each road portion of the plurality of road portions. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a processing system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for performing the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for determining a path for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising control circuitry configured to:
 obtain an accident intensity for each of a plurality of road portions of an estimated route to be traveled by the vehicle; and   determine a path of the vehicle along the estimated route based on the obtained accident intensities under a set of constraints, wherein the set of constraints comprises at least one of a route travel time constraint for the path along the estimated route and a route risk constraint, and wherein the determined path comprises a speed profile along the estimated route.   
     
     
         15 . A vehicle comprising:
 a localization system for monitoring a geographical location and a heading of the vehicle; and   an apparatus according to  claim 14 .