A model of hierarchical behavior control for an autonomous vehicle

A behavior based architecture for the control of autonomous vehicles is presented. It can be developed in a hierarchy where behavior modules compete to control actuators and behaviors in layers below. Competition is resolved by arbitration structures consisting of a series of blockers that work in a completely distributed way. The behavior model is also detailed. It comprises two sub-modules, one for the action and another for the priority output of the behavior and has input parameters that can be defined by the user when designing a particular vehicle. The implications of the architecture model for the control of autonomous vehicles are discussed.