SBIR Phase I: Autonomous active safety systems for verifiably safe operation of ground vehicles

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响将是开发技术，使自动运输系统能够在不依赖人类驾驶员作为后备的情况下，可验证地保持安全。据估计，94%的致命车祸与驾驶员有关；高达80%的事故本可以通过先进技术得到缓解或预防。更广泛地说，美国每年的车辆碰撞导致35,000-40,000人死亡，超过230万人严重受伤，成本为8500亿美元。这项工作的成功将证明，简单、强大的方法可以用来实现安全的自动驾驶汽车行为。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将结合多智能体控制理论和新的基于传感器的控制技术，探索先进的自主控制系统的翻译。该项目解决了将理论进步转化为工业级算法的挑战，并定义了一种不依赖于人类后退机制的车辆安全系统。第一阶段的工作通过以下方式解决了这些技术障碍：1)原型系统的可行性研究，2)安全案例报告的广泛验证和确认过程。这个奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持

pThe broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop technology that will enable automated transportation systems to verifiably maintain safety without relying on a human driver as a fallback. Driver-related factors were involved in an estimated 94% of fatal crashes; up to 80% could have been mitigated or prevented by advanced technology. More broadly, each year vehicle collisions in the U.S. result in 35,000-40,000 fatalities, over 2.3 M serious injuries, and costs of $850 B. The success of the proposed work will demonstrate that simple, robust methods can be used to achieve safe autonomous vehicle behavior./p pThis Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will explore translation of an advanced autonomous control system in a combination of advances in multi-agent control theory and new, sensor-based control techniques. This project addresses the challenges of translating theoretical advances into industrial-grade algorithms and defining a vehicle safety system that does not rely on a human fallback mechanism. The Phase I work addresses these technical hurdles through: 1) a feasibility study of a prototype system, and 2) an extensive verification and validation process for a safety case report./p pThis award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria./p