Intelligent Guidance for Headway and Lane Control

The principal objective of this study is to define techniques for using graphical imagery alone as guidance information for automotive headway and lane control. The goal is to accelerate, steer, and brake an automobile at normal speeds on both limited-access and conventional highways, including entry/exit ramps, multiple-lane roads, and undivided highways, and accounting for mixed traffic, road signs, traffic signals, and unexpected emergencies. It is expected that a system capable of performing these tasks would consist of one or more television cameras, pattern-recognition logic implemented in digital signal processing chips, a rule-based expert system for guidance and control, conventional motion sensors, and actuators for steering, braking, and throttle control.