Observable dynamics and coordinate systems for automotive target tracking

TL;DR

This paper explores various coordinate systems and dynamical models for automotive target tracking, emphasizing the importance of ego compensation and comparing tracking errors across different configurations in simulated scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces methods to express target dynamics in arbitrary coordinates and clarifies ego compensation, enhancing the understanding of coordinate choices in vehicle tracking systems.

Findings

Coordinate system choice affects tracking accuracy.

Ego compensation improves tracking performance.

Simulated data demonstrates differences in tracking errors.

Abstract

We investigate several coordinate systems and dynamical vector fields for target tracking to be used in driver assistance systems. We show how to express the discrete dynamics of maneuvering target vehicles in arbitrary coordinates starting from the target's and the own (ego) vehicle's assumed dynamical model in global coordinates. We clarify the notion of "ego compensation" and show how non-inertial effects are to be included when using a body-fixed coordinate system for target tracking. We finally compare the tracking error of different combinations of target tracking coordinates and dynamical vector fields for simulated data.