Autonomous vehicle (AV) control system with roadside unit (RSU) network
The invention provides systems and methods for an autonomous vehicle (AV) control system comprising an onboard unit (OBU) and a roadside unit (RSU), which are two components of an Intelligent Road Infrastructure System (IRIS). This integrated vehicle-road system provides sensing, prediction, decision-making, and control instructions for specific vehicles at a microscopic level. Specifically, through the AV control system, an AV can be effectively and efficiently controlled by the AV itself and/or by the RSU. The AV control system provides individual vehicles with detailed time-sensitive control instructions for vehicles to fulfill driving tasks. In addition, the RSU conducts behavior prediction for individual vehicles at a microscopic level from 1 to 10 milliseconds, which is critical for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) operations.
1. An autonomous vehicle (AV) control system comprising:
an onboard unit (OBU); and
a roadside unit (RSU) network,
wherein the AV control system provides individual vehicles with time-sensitive control instructions for vehicles to fulfill driving tasks; and
wherein the RSU network comprises a plurality of RSUs that predict behavior of individual vehicles at a microscopic level; and
wherein the OBU fuses multi-source data collected from vehicle sensors and roadside sensors, and predicts conditions of the entire transportation network for individual vehicles at a microscopic level.
2. The AV control system of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle control module and wherein:
the OBU receives the time-sensitive control instructions from the RSU network and provides the time-sensitive control instructions to the vehicle control module; and
the vehicle control module controls a vehicle according to the time-sensitive control instructions.
3. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein the time-sensitive control instructions comprise instructions for vehicle longitudinal acceleration and speed, vehicle lateral acceleration and speed, and vehicle orientation and direction.
4. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein the RSU network provides individual vehicles with vehicle-specific information comprising weather information, pavement conditions, and/or estimated travel time.
5. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein the OBU transmits data to the RSU network, said data comprising vehicle static information, vehicle dynamic information; and/or driving environment information.
6. The AV control system of claim 5 , wherein:
vehicle static information comprises vehicle identifier, vehicle size, vehicle type, vehicle software information, and/or vehicle hardware information;
vehicle dynamic information comprises a timestamp, GPS coordinates, vehicle longitudinal and lateral position, vehicle speed, and/or vehicle origin/destination information; and/or
vehicle driving environment information comprises data collected by a vehicle sensing system.
7. The AV control system of claim 1 , further comprising a TCC/TCU communication link providing communication between the RSU network and traffic control centers (TCC) and/or between the RSU network and traffic control units (TCU).
8. The AV control system of claim 1 , further comprising an in-vehicle interface.
9. The AV control system of claim 1 , further comprising a data collection module monitoring the operational state of a vehicle comprising the AV control system.
10. The AV control system of claim 1 , further comprising a V2V communication module providing communication with a second AV control system.
11. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein the RSU network sends the time-sensitive control instructions to the OBU.
12. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein the RSU network senses vehicles on a road.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein each RSU of the RSU network comprises a sensing module, a communication module, a data processing module, an interface module, and/or an adaptive power supply module.
14. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein each RSU of the RSU network comprises a radar based sensor, a vision based sensor, a satellite based navigation system component, and/or a vehicle identification component.
15. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein said RSU network is configured to provide high-resolution maps comprising lane width, lane approach, grade, and road geometry information to vehicles.
16. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein said RSU network is configured to collect information comprising weather information, road condition information, lane traffic information, vehicle information, and/or incident information; and broadcast said information to vehicles.
17. The AV control system of claim 1 , wherein said autonomous vehicle (AV) control system is installed in a connected and automated vehicle (CAV) comprising an onboard unit (OBU).
18. The CAV of claim 17 , further comprising a vehicle control module and wherein said OBU receives time-sensitive control instructions for vehicles to fulfill driving tasks and sends the time-sensitive control instructions to the vehicle control module.
19. The CAV of claim 17 , further comprising traffic sensors and/or environment sensors.
20. The CAV of claim 17 , wherein said OBU receives time-sensitive control instructions from an autonomous vehicle (AV) control system comprising a roadside unit (RSU) network.