Enabling Level 4-5 Autonomous Fleet Mobility in Known Environments

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Automated driving benefits from novel technologies in sensing, computation, and communication that can potentially eliminate human driving errors that account for 94% of fatal road vehicle accidents! Vehicles with automated driving in Level 2 (partial automation with necessary driver intervention in both driving tasks and monitoring the environment) and Level 3 (conditional automation with necessary driver intervention in driving tasks only) are being introduced by automotive companies with many added safety benefits. However, achieving higher levels of autonomy (Level 4: high automation where the vehicle can perform all driving functions under certain conditions; Level 5: full automation where the vehicle can perform all driving functions under all conditions) for general and all-weather driving is far more complicated, and decades of work might still be needed. This is due to the vast complexity in perceiving the environment in any road, traffic, weather conditions, and the ability to make proper decisions in any driving scenario. While the achievement of vehicle autonomy in any environment is still in its infancy, many mobility applications in well-known environments could presently attain Level 4 and 5. Such applications include outdoor autonomous fleets for public transportation, at resorts, and airports; and indoor applications for personal mobility and material handling in health care and long-term care facilities, to name a few. This proposal is intended to enable Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous fleet mobility for known outdoor and indoor environments. The results of this research program can be applied to a vast number of applications. This program, however, will focus on the development of technology for public transportation, health care, and long-term care facilities. Through the applicant's existing autonomous shuttles and his current development of fleet mobility infrastructure for health care and long-term facilities, research results will be implemented for real-world testing and evaluation. The research outcomes will have significant economical and societal impacts by providing solutions for better and cost-effective public transportation and, reliable indoor mobility for health care and long-term care facilities. This will help alleviate staff shortages, particularly apparent in the past two years due to the pandemic crisis, as well as the rising costs of long term and health care services. The proposed research program will contribute greatly to the training of many students with deep theoretical and practical knowledge in autonomous mobility to help and shape the growing Canadian industry in autonomous systems.