Chapter 01 Introduction

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Chapter 01

1.1. Overview
Recently, vehicle technology has become prominent, and autonomous driving is a hot topic [1].
Mechanical engineering was the first field to study vehicles and most other machines we use daily.
However, remarkable breakthroughs in IoT and embedded systems have rendered most of them
internet-enabled, intelligent, and inventive devices. These technological advances have turned
classic cars into fully functional, smart machines, making travel safer [2]. Intelligent vehicles are
made possible by advancements in automation and the options that new technology gives us. These
intelligent vehicles are in high demand as we prioritize safety and improve the convenience of
daily life [1]. These vehicles can sense their surroundings, connect to the internet, follow traffic
rules, drive themselves, make quick decisions, look out for the safety of pedestrians and
passengers, park themselves, etc. These machines are referred to as "autonomous vehicles" [2].
Academics, government officials, well-known experts, the media, and the general public have all
paid a lot of attention to the recent breakthrough in technology for self-driving cars, which is
getting harder to do but more possible. Autonomous technology research and development is
getting a lot of attention, which shows that it can improve transportation by making it more
accessible, safer, and more efficient for everyone [3].
1.1.1. Requisites of AVs Design
AVs are safe, easy to drive, and comfortable. Intelligent sensors, onboard computers, controllers,
contemporary hardware and software applications, unique algorithms, etc., optimize most Self-
driving vehicles’ driver functions. AV can help physically disabled and elderly persons live
independently. Moreover, reducing the GHE and its independent operation will improve the
quality of life for the average individual [75].
a. Public Transportation
Initially, autonomous vehicles were integrated into the public transit system as driverless vehicles.
Modern developments in public transit are advantageous for tourists, locals, and others in
cosmopolitan regions. In busy, tight, and cluttered urban settings, transportation is a significant
obstacle. Nonetheless, the emergence of autonomous electriccars (AEVs) has made it easier to
manage the challenges in crowded areas [75].
b. Empower Elderly, Blind, and Disabled Individuals
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are revolutionizing transportation and transforming lives, especially
for elderly, blind, and disabled individuals. These vehicles offer newfound mobility,
independence, and freedom, turning daunting outings into liberating experiences. AVs go beyond
transportation; they're personalized mobility solutions equipped with accessibility features like
wheelchair ramps and adjustable seating, empowering users to navigate the world on their terms.
With inclusive interfaces and safety features such as sensor-based collision detection and
automated emergency braking, AVs ensure a secure and seamless travel experience. Furthermore,
AVs serve as integrated platforms for accessing healthcare services, offering on-board medical
monitoring and facilitating access to essential appointments. In essence, AVs drive independence,
empowerment, and dignity, ushering in a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
c. Autonomous Underground Vehicle
A fully automated submersible vehicle created in Denmark is one the example. A citizen of
Denmark is motivated to utilize it further in a transport network because of its performance [75].
d. Autonomous Electric Tram
Siemens in Germany conceived and produced the world’s first fully automated electric tram. In
2018, a seven-kilometer tram test drive was done for the first time in Germany. Tram instantly
responds to crossing animals, humans, other moving vehicles, various types of objects, and any
other impediments [75].
e. Automated Delivery System
It is beneficial for the elderly, the physically challenged, etc. It is also advantageous for carrying
things from one location to another. It was created in 2018 for driverless delivery of commodities
[76].
f. Automated Electric Volvo Bus
Volvo’s development of a fully self-driving bus resulted in its expected deployment in Singapore,
with a planned launch in 2019. In collaboration with Nanyang Technological University College,
Singapore (NTU Singapore), Volvo unveiled the world’s first full-sized autonomous bus. The bus
is capable of autonomous operation and has a seating capacity of 80 individuals. Furthermore, the
bus has four lidar sensors installed, enabling it to detect impediments and stop when required.
These autonomous bus models are anticipated to represent the forthcoming paradigm of public
transportation services, owing to their ability to offer security, efficiency, reliability, and comfort
[75].
g. Autonomous Electric Helicopter
The VSR700 is a prototype of an autonomous electric helicopter developed by Airbus in 2020 and
is currently undergoing extensive testing in France. This technology was designed and created to
be utilized in combination with numerous naval resources. The mission is to enhance the
capabilities of vessels by integrating advanced sensors with helicopters, thereby increasing their
operational scope and optimizing the efficacy of data acquisition from ships. Autonomous
helicopters are assigned with the responsibility of conducting surveillance on designated targets
and verifying the intended destinations of ships at predetermined locations. According to recent
research, modern ships and unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with advanced, intelligent and
efficient sensory technology exhibit enhanced sustainability [75].
h. Autonomous Smart Truck
In 2016, the Otto fully automated electric truck was planned and constructed. It functions without
a human operator with the aid of the LIDAR system. These advanced vehicles are used to convey
large goods and services while minimizing accidents. In addition, Vera, a Volvo autonomous
electric truck, is planned and developed to transport commodities from a variety of locations,
including industries, dockyards, mines, ports, storage yards, and warehouses, in methods that are
more effective, safer, cleaner, and sustainable than conventional trucks. Using sophisticated
cameras and other sensing technologies, these Vera trucks operate, position, detect, and control
more ingeniously, thereby reducing waiting times and pollutants. Thus, their performance
improves both economically and technically [75].
i. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
It is popular in the technology and defense sectors and marine earth science. This vehicle’s
principal duty is to obtain an enhanced, high-resolution seafloor image from the vessel’s surface.
Underwater vehicles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including hybrid automated underwater
vehicles (AUV), AUV Urashima, bluefin Hovering AUV, super dolphin, marine robots, and solar-
powered autonomous vehicles II (SAUV) [77].
j. Fully Autonomous Shuttle
In 2017, Harry was involved in designing and developing a fully autonomous shuttle that
underwent testing in London, England. Several locations in the United Kingdom that suffer from
inadequate or nonexistent public transportation infrastructure have undertaken initiatives to
enhance the accessibility and efficiency of public transportation services. Hence, these shuttles are
employed in such areas to enhance transportation efficacy. It is gained in the vicinity of five to six
persons and covers a distance of 12 kilometers. The system relies on a range of intelligent control
and monitoring technologies, including but not limited to sensors, cameras, and LiDAR [75].
k. Autonomous Metro Train
It is a fully automated concept train developed by China in 2020 for the Turkish nation. It travels
at 130 kilometers per hour. It can accommodate around 1200 passengers with four to five carriages
[75].
l. Automated Rover
This is a self-driving mode of transportation that can be employed in outdoor as well as indoor
environments. It is an unmanned vehicle utilized in circumstances where human involvement is
considered impractical or unfeasible. The primary characteristics of the Rover include its capacity
for self-detection and fault diagnosis within various faults [78].
m. Autonomous Vehicles for Agriculture and Mining
Autonomous vehicles have found utility in the agricultural industry for numerous farming
operations and mining operations. Various categories of autonomous vehicles utilized in
agriculture and mining include autonomous tractors for agriculture, unmanned ground vehicles
implemented in smart farms, and mining vehicles, including mining trucks and automated mining
machines—etc. [75].
1.2. Background and motivation
In 1925, Houdini Radio Control showed off the "American Wonder," a remote-controlled car that
drove down Broadway in New York City while an operator followed in another car. This was said
to be the first demonstration of a car that did not need a driver [4]. In 1986, the first prototype of
autonomous vehicles that did not require a dedicated infrastructure hit the road. The Navlab team
at CMU in the United States and Ernst Dickmann’s team at Bundeswehr University Munich in
Germany led this groundbreaking effort DC. In 1995, the "No Hands Across America" excursion
from Washington, DC tCA,o San Diego, CA was completed 98% autonomously with manual
longitudinal control by the Navlab team at Carnegie Mellon University. ALVINN (Autonomous
Land Vehicle in a Neural Network) was developed in 1988. It used a fully connected neural
network with two layers to convert the road images it saw into commands for the vehicle. Alvinn
could drive independently for 90 miles at top speeds of 70 miles per hour. In 1986, the German
Bundeswehr developed a comparable system known as "VaMoRs." It permitted longitudinal and
lateral guidance with feedback on lateral acceleration and had a top speed of 36 kilometers per
hour [5]. Even though fully autonomous driving has not yet been achieved, driver assistance
systems have achieved commercial success, enhancing driving comfort and safety. The year 1992
is marked for the introduction of the Debonair by Mitsubishi, the first lidar-based distance
detection system to be implemented in the Japanese market. The technology, commonly called
"distance warning," provides the driver with an alert while maintaining the integrity of the throttle,
brakes, and gear-shifting mechanisms [6]. Mercedes-Benz implemented Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC) with radar assistance in 1999. The introduction of navigation systems and digital road maps
happened in 2000. Currently, the integration of differential GPS and inertial measurement units
(IMU) has facilitated precise localization with a margin of error of 5 cm under favorable
circumstances. This has made it possible to generate highly detailed lane-level road maps (HD
maps) and offer an additional layer of reliability for vision-based localization in environments with
high levels of noise [7]. The DARPA Grand Challenge is a competition for autonomous vehicles
that is organized by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the primary
research entity of the United States Department of Defense. Congress has granted DARPA
permission to offer rewards to encourage research in different areas. The objective of the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is to provide financial support for new and high-
yield research endeavors to improve the connection between fundamental scientific breakthroughs
and their practical applications in the military domain. The primary objective of the DARPA Grand
Challenge was to accelerate the development of fully autonomous ground vehicles capable of
successfully traversing a demanding off-road route within a specified timeframe [8].
According to the references [8, 9], the DARPA challenges was summarized in Table 01.
Table 01: Darpa Challenges of Autonomous Vehicles.
1.3. Vehicle Automation Levels
The Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) has classified the process of automation for vehicles
into six distinct stages [1].

• At level 0, there is no automation. Therefore, the driver must rely solely on himself when
operating the car [10].

• In level 1, all components are managed by people, while either steering or


acceleration/deceleration can be conducted automatically using driving assistance [10].

• At least one driving assistance system is automated at level 2. Nevertheless, the driver
should be ready to take command of the automobile at any moment.

• According to the source [11], more driving assistance systems are present at level 3 of
autonomous driving. However, a human driver is still needed and can intervene if necessary.
• Level 4 refers to fully autonomous vehicles for defined areas and environments that
operate without human intervention while still allowing the driver to assume control if necessary.

• According to a scholarly source, it is anticipated that solely level 5 fully autonomous


vehicles will be capable of matching the driving proficiency of a human operator in all driving
scenarios [1, 10, 11].

Fig 1.1: Vehicle Automation Levels.

1.4. Objectives
i. To design an AV system equipped with ADAS features to enhance safety, improve driving
experience, and pave the way for future fully autonomous vehicles.
ii. To develop a comprehensive architecture for a collision avoidance system.
iii. Optimize system performance for accuracy, speed, and adaptability to enhance the overall
safety of autonomous vehicles.
iv. Conduct extensive testing to validate the effectiveness and reliability of the Advanced Driving
Assistance System.
1.5. Research Methodology
This research will utilize a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative
methods for a comprehensive understanding.
I. Literature Review:
• Conduct a thorough review of existing research on AV technologies, ADAS features, their
functionalities, and safety benefits.
• Analyze the socio-economic impact and sustainability considerations associated with
widespread AV adoption.
• Explore project management methodologies and financial models relevant to AV
development.
• Identify and analyze successful case studies of existing AV projects.

II. System Design and Development:


• Define the specific functionalities and features of the proposed AV design, focusing on the
chosen ADAS technologies.
• Select appropriate sensors (LiDAR, cameras, radar) and hardware components for the AV
system.
• Design algorithms for object detection, speed estimation, lane detection, and traffic sign
recognition (if applicable).
• Develop a simulation environment to test and evaluate the performance of the designed
AV system under various driving scenarios.
III. Socio-Economic Impact Analysis:
• Conduct surveys or interviews with potential users to understand their perceptions and
concerns regarding AV adoption.
• Analyze the potential impact of AVs on traffic congestion, energy consumption, and job
displacement in the transportation sector.
• Consider the ethical implications of AVs in decision-making and collision avoidance
scenarios.
IV. Addressing Complex Engineering Problems:
• Identify specific engineering challenges associated with the chosen ADAS features and
overall AV design.
• Utilize problem-solving frameworks to analyze and propose solutions for these engineering
challenges.
• Consider factors like sensor fusion, real-time decision-making algorithms, and reliable
vehicle control systems.
V. Project Management and Financial Considerations:
• Develop a project management plan outlining the timeframe, resources, and milestones for
AV development.
• Explore potential funding sources for the project, including government grants, private
investments, or partnerships.
• Analyze the cost-benefit ratio of the proposed AV design considering development,
deployment, and maintenance costs.
VI. Data Collection and Analysis:
• Collect data from the simulation environment experiments to evaluate the performance
metrics of the ADAS features like detection accuracy, reaction times, and overall system
efficiency.
• Analyze the qualitative data from surveys and interviews to understand user perspectives
on the socio-economic impact of AVs.
VII. Results and Discussion:
• Present the findings from the literature review regarding existing AV technologies, their
impact, and relevant management practices.
• Detail the technical aspects of the designed AV system, including sensor selection,
algorithm development, and simulation results.
• Discuss the findings from the socio-economic impact analysis, highlighting potential
benefits and challenges associated with AV adoption.
• Analyze the solutions proposed for engineering problems encountered during the design
process.
• Evaluate the feasibility and financial sustainability of the AV project based on the project
management plan and financial considerations.
VIII. Conclusion and Future Work:
• Summarize the key findings of the research regarding the designed AV system, its potential
impact, and the addressed engineering challenges.
• Discuss limitations of the research and suggest future work to improve the AV design or
explore further research directions.

1.6. Project Planning


1.6.1. Work plan – Gantt Chart
A proposed work plan that was designed for completing the thesis project is described below.
a. Phase 1: Initial Research (Months 1-5)
• Topic Selection (Months 1-2): Choosing the specific area of focus within ADAS
design for your thesis.
• Search on existing work (Months 2-3): Researching what has already been done in
this field to identify relevant literature and avoid redundancy.
• Study on Related paper (Months 3-12): Digging deeper into the research papers and
studies relevant to your chosen topic.
b. Phase 2: Design and Development (Months 4-8)
• Designing Outline (Month 2): Developing a clear structure for your thesis, including
chapters and sub-topics.
• Data Collection and Processing (Months 2-3): Gathering the data you'll need to train
and test your ADAS model. This might involve simulations, sensor readings, or real-
world data collection.
• Model Training (Months 4-5): Developing and training the machine learning model
that will be the core of your ADAS system.
c. Phase 3: Writing and Finalization (Months 2-4)
• System Build up and Model Upload (Month 4-5): Integrating the trained model into
a functional ADAS system for an autonomous vehicle (likely in a simulation
environment)
• Draft Writing (Months 1-2): Writing the first complete draft of your thesis document.
• Revision and Correction (Month 1): Proofreading, editing, and incorporating
feedback on your thesis draft.
• Submission (Month 1): Finalizing and submitting your thesis for evaluation.

1.7. Organization of the report


The thesis book has nine well-constructed chapters on Advanced Driver Assistance System
research for autonomous vehicles. Chapter 1 introduces the research topic's theme, background
and motivation, significance, objectives, and relevance in contemporary discourse. The chapter
provides a broad overview to prepare for studying autonomous vehicles and ADAS technologies.
Moving forward, Chapter 2 thoroughly examines existing literature pertinent to autonomous
vehicles and ADAS. Comprehensive reviews of associated research and experimental methods are
the focus here. The chapter examines existing knowledge to identify gaps, trends, and new research
paths, establishing the framework for the study's subsequent phases.
In Chapter 3, the thesis dives into the complex process of designing ADAS for driverless vehicles.
This section of the book methodically covers problem statements, design requirements,
conceptualization, preliminary, and detailed design phases. Through extensive examination, the
chapter illuminates the complexity of designing efficient and dependable autonomous driving
ADAS systems.
The socio-economic and sustainability effects of autonomous vehicles are highlighted in Chapter
4. The broader societal impact of autonomous vehicle adoption, including economic,
environmental, and sustainability factors, is examined here. The chapter addresses socio-economic
issues to provide a complete understanding of autonomous vehicle technology's broader effects.
Chapter 5 discusses the complex issues of designing autonomous cars and ADAS. It covers the
technical challenges, regulatory issues, and ethical issues of autonomous driving technology
development and deployment. The chapter illuminates the intricacies and nuances of engineering
challenges and actions in this sector through a comprehensive investigation.
Project management and budgetary factors dominate Chapter 6's autonomous vehicle research
project management discussion. It covers project planning, scheduling, budgeting, resource
allocation, and research funding sources.
Chapter 7 details the research project's methodology and implementation. Readers learn about
research methods and how to apply them here. The chapter explores implementation issues in
detail.
Chapter 8 presents research findings. Based on facts and data analysis, this thesis book section
summarizes the findings. The chapter also discusses and analyzes the results, providing insights
and interpretations to improve comprehension and consequences.
Chapter 9 concludes the investigation with findings and remarks on limitations. The chapter also
suggests future research directions for autonomous vehicles and ADAS technologies. The chapter
synthesizes research findings and systematically discusses the field's future.

1.8. Summary
Chapter 01 offers a perceptive introduction to the thesis, commencing with a comprehensive
description of the research issue and its importance in current discourse. The chapter explores the
history and motivation for the study, explaining the fundamental causes that led to the investigation
of autonomous vehicles and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The research journey
is guided by clearly defined objectives, which serve as a roadmap. The research methodology
provides valuable insights into the approach and methods used in performing the study. In addition,
the chapter discusses project planning components. Ultimately, the report provides a
comprehensive and organized layout, giving readers a clear and systematic summary of the
following chapters and their specific areas of emphasis. Chapter 01 provides a thorough
introduction that establishes the foundation for investigating the specifics of ADAS development
for autonomous vehicle technology.

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