arXiv subjects

Francesco Borrelli

Publications and source records attributed to Francesco Borrelli.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Learning How to Autonomously Race a Car: a Predictive Control Approach

In this paper we present a Learning Model Predictive Controller (LMPC) for autonomous racing. We model the autonomous racing problem as a minimum time iterative control task, where an iteration corresponds to a lap. In the proposed approach at each lap the race time does not increase compared to the previous lap. The system trajectory and input sequence of each lap are stored and used to systematically update the controller for the next lap. The first contribution of the paper is to propose a LMPC strategy which reduces the computational burden associated with existing LMPC strategies. In particular, we show how to construct a safe set and an approximation to the value function, using a subset of the stored data. The second contribution is to present a system identification strategy for the autonomous racing iterative control task. We use data from previous iterations and the vehicle's kinematics equations to build an affine time-varying prediction model. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is demonstrated by experimental results on the Berkeley Autonomous Race Car (BARC) platform.

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arXiv2019

Modeling of Dynamical Systems via Successive Graph Approximations

In this work, we propose a non-parametric technique for online modeling of systems with unknown nonlinear Lipschitz dynamics. The key idea is to successively utilize measurements to approximate the graph of the state-update function using envelopes described by quadratic constraints. The proposed approach is then demonstrated on two control applications: (i) computation of tractable bounds for unmodeled dynamics, and (ii) computation of positive invariant sets. We further highlight the efficacy of the proposed approach via a detailed numerical example.

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arXiv2019

Real-time Ecological Velocity Planning for Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles with Partial Communication to Traffic Lights

This paper presents the design of an ecological adaptive cruise controller (ECO-ACC) for a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) which exploits automated driving and connectivity. Most existing papers for ECO-ACC focus on a short-sighted control scheme. A two-level control framework for long-sighted ECO-ACC was only recently introduced. However, that work is based on a deterministic traffic signal phase and timing (SPaT) over the entire route. In practice, connectivity with traffic lights may be limited by communication range, e.g. just one upcoming traffic light. We propose a two-level receding-horizon control framework for long-sighted ECO-ACC that exploits deterministic SPaT for the upcoming traffic light, and utilizes historical SPaT for other traffic lights within a receding control horizon. We also incorporate a powertrain control mechanism to enhance PHEV energy prediction accuracy. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation results validate the energy savings of the receding-horizon control framework in various traffic scenarios.

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arXiv2019

Eco-driving with Learning Model Predictive Control

We present a predictive cruise controller which iteratively improves the fuel economy of a vehicle traveling along the same route every day. Our approach uses historical data from previous trip iterations to improve vehicle performance while guaranteeing a desired arrival time. The proposed predictive cruise controller is based on the recently developed Learning Model Predictive Control (LMPC) framework, which is extended in this paper to include time constraints. Moreover, we reformulate the modified LMPC with time constraint into a computationally tractable form. Our method is presented in detail, applied to the predictive cruise control problem, and validated through simulations.

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arXiv2019

Hardware-In-the-Loop for Connected Automated Vehicles Testing in Real Traffic

We present a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation setup for repeatable testing of Connected Automated Vehicles (CAVs) in dynamic, real-world scenarios. Our goal is to test control and planning algorithms and their distributed implementation on the vehicle hardware and, possibly, in the cloud. The HIL setup combines PreScan for perception sensors, road topography, and signalized intersections; Vissim for traffic micro-simulation; ETAS DESK-LABCAR/a dynamometer for vehicle and powertrain dynamics; and on-board electronic control units for CAV real time control. Models of traffic and signalized intersections are driven by real-world measurements. To demonstrate this HIL simulation setup, we test a Model Predictive Control approach for maximizing energy efficiency of CAVs in urban environments.

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arXiv2019

Safe and Near-Optimal Policy Learning for Model Predictive Control using Primal-Dual Neural Networks

In this paper, we propose a novel framework for approximating the explicit MPC law for linear parameter-varying systems using supervised learning. In contrast to most existing approaches, we not only learn the control policy, but also a "certificate policy", that allows us to estimate the sub-optimality of the learned control policy online, during execution-time. We learn both these policies from data using supervised learning techniques, and also provide a randomized method that allows us to guarantee the quality of each learned policy, measured in terms of feasibility and optimality. This in turn allows us to bound the probability of the learned control policy of being infeasible or suboptimal, where the check is performed by the certificate policy. Since our algorithm does not require the solution of an optimization problem during run-time, it can be deployed even on resource-constrained systems. We illustrate the efficacy of the proposed framework on a vehicle dynamics control problem where we demonstrate a speedup of up to two orders of magnitude compared to online optimization with minimal performance degradation.

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arXiv2019

An adaptive approach to real-time estimation of vehicle sideslip, road bank angles and sensor bias

Robust estimation of vehicle sideslip angle is essential for stability control applications. However, the direct measurement of sideslip angle is expensive for production vehicles. This paper presents a novel sideslip estimation algorithm which relies only on sensors available on passenger and commercial vehicles. The proposed method uses both kinematics and dynamics vehicle models to construct extended Kalman filter observers. The estimate relies on the results provided from the dynamics model observer where the tire cornering stiffness parameters are updated using the information provided from the kinematics model observer. The stability property of the proposed algorithm is discussed and proven. Finally, multiple experimental tests are conducted to verify its performance in practice. The results show that the proposed approach provides smooth and accurate sideslip angle estimation. In addition, our novel algorithm provides reliable estimates of bank angles and lateral acceleration sensor bias.

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arXiv2019

Balancing Safety and Traffic Throughput in Cooperative Vehicle Platooning

In this paper we propose a distributed model predictive control architecture to coordinate the longitudinal motion of a vehicle platoon at a signalized intersection. Our control approach is cooperative; we use vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication in order to maintain small inter-vehicle distances and correspondingly achieve large vehicle throughput at an intersection. We study the trade-off between safety and road throughput for this problem. In particular, we present the link between traffic efficiency gains in terms of throughput, and safety of the connected platoon measured as trust on the predicted speed profile of other vehicles in the network.

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arXiv2019

Robust Eco-Driving Control of Autonomous Vehicles Connected to Traffic Lights

This paper focuses on the speed planning problem for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) communicating to traffic lights. The uncertainty of traffic signal timing for signalized intersections on the road is considered. The eco-driving problem is formulated as a data-driven chance constrained robust optimization problem. Effective red light duration (ERD) is defined as a random variable, and describes the feasible passing time through the signalized intersections. In practice, the true probability distribution for ERD is usually unknown. Consequently, a data-driven approach is adopted to formulate chance constraints based on empirical sample data. This incorporates robustness into the eco-driving control problem with respect to uncertain signal timing. Dynamic programming (DP) is employed to solve the optimization problem. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can generate optimal speed reference trajectories with 40% less vehicle fuel consumption, while maintaining the arrival time at a similar level when compared to a modified intelligent driver model (IDM). The proposed control approach significantly improves the controller robustness in the face of uncertain signal timing, without requiring to know the distribution of the random variable a priori.

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arXiv2019

Simple Policy Evaluation for Data-Rich Iterative Tasks

A data-based policy for iterative control task is presented. The proposed strategy is model-free and can be applied whenever safe input and state trajectories of a system performing an iterative task are available. These trajectories, together with a user-defined cost function, are exploited to construct a piecewise affine approximation to the value function. Approximated value functions are then used to evaluate the control policy by solving a linear program. We show that for linear system subject to convex cost and constraints, the proposed strategy guarantees closed-loop constraint satisfaction and performance bounds on the closed-loop trajectory. We evaluate the proposed strategy in simulations and experiments, the latter carried out on the Berkeley Autonomous Race Car (BARC) platform. We show that the proposed strategy is able to reduce the computation time by one order of magnitude while achieving the same performance as our model-based control algorithm.

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arXiv2019

A Hybrid Control Design for Autonomous Vehicles at Uncontrolled Intersections

As autonomous vehicles (AVs) inch closer to reality, a central requirement for acceptance will be earning the trust of humans in everyday driving situations. In particular, the interaction between AVs and pedestrians is of high importance, as every human is a pedestrian at some point of the day. This paper considers the interaction of a pedestrian and an autonomous vehicle at a mid-block, unsignalized intersection where there is ambiguity over when the pedestrian should cross and when and how the vehicle should yield. By modeling pedestrian behavior through the concept of gap acceptance, the authors show that a hybrid controller with just four distinct modes allows an autonomous vehicle to successfully interact with a pedestrian across a continuous spectrum of possible crosswalk entry behaviors. The controller is validated through extensive simulation and compared to an alternate POMDP solution and experimental results are provided on a research vehicle for a virtual pedestrian.

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arXiv2018

Adaptive MPC for Autonomous Lane Keeping

This paper proposes an Adaptive Robust Model Predictive Control strategy for lateral control in lane keeping problems, where we continuously learn an unknown, but constant steering angle offset present in the steering system. Longitudinal velocity is assumed constant. The goal is to minimize the outputs, which are distance from lane center line and the steady state heading angle error, while satisfying respective safety constraints. We do not assume perfect knowledge of the vehicle lateral dynamics model and estimate and adapt in real-time the maximum possible bound of the steering angle offset from data using a robust Set Membership Method based approach. Our approach is even well-suited for scenarios with sharp curvatures on high speed, where obtaining a precise model bias for constrained control is difficult, but learning from data can be helpful. We ensure persistent feasibility using a switching strategy during change of lane curvature. The proposed methodology is general and can be applied to more complex vehicle dynamics problems.

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arXiv2018

Design and Implementation of Ecological Adaptive Cruise Control for Autonomous Driving with Communication to Traffic Lights

This paper presents the design and implementation results of an ecological adaptive cruise controller (ECO-ACC) which exploits driving automation and connectivity. The controller avoids front collisions and traffic light violations, and is designed to reduce the energy consumption of connected automated vehicles by utilizing historical and real-time signal phase and timing data of traffic lights that adapt to the current traffic conditions. We propose an optimization-based generation of a reference velocity, and a velocity-tracking model predictive controller that avoids front collisions and violations. We present an experimental setup encompassing the real vehicle and controller in the loop, and an environment simulator in which the traffic flow and the traffic light patterns are calibrated on real-world data. We present and analyze simulation and experimental results, finding a significant potential for energy consumption reduction, even in the presence of traffic.

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arXiv2018

Safe Adaptive Cruise Control with Road Grade Preview and V2V Communication

We present the design of a safe Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) which uses road grade and lead vehicle motion preview. The ACC controller is designed by using a Model Predictive Control (MPC) framework to optimize comfort, safety, energy-efficiency and speed tracking accuracy. Safety is achieved by computing a robust invariant terminal set. The paper presents a novel approach to compute such set which is less conservative than existing methods. The proposed controller ensures safe inter-vehicle spacing at all times despite changes in the road grade and uncertainty in the predicted motion of the lead vehicle. Simulation results compare the proposed controller with a controller that does not incorporate prior grade knowledge on two scenarios including car-following and autonomous intersection crossing. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.

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arXiv2018

Robust Model Predictive Control with Adjustable Uncertainty Sets

In this paper, we present Robust Model Predictive Control (MPC) problems with adjustable uncertainty sets. In contrast to standard Robust MPC problems with known uncertainty sets, we treat the uncertainty sets in our problems as additional decision variables. In particular, given a metric for adjusting the uncertainty sets, we address the question of determining the optimal size and shape of those uncertainty sets, while ensuring robust constraint satisfaction. The focus of this paper is on ensuring constraint satisfaction over an infinite horizon, also known as persistent feasibility. We show that, similar as in standard Robust MPC, persistent feasibility can be guaranteed if the terminal set is an invariant set with respect to both the state of the system and the adjustable uncertainty set. We also present an algorithm for computing such invariant sets, and illustrate the effectiveness of our approach in a cooperative adaptive cruise control application.

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arXiv2018

Vehicle Localization and Control on Roads with Prior Grade Map

We propose a map-aided vehicle localization method for GPS-denied environments. This approach exploits prior knowledge of the road grade map and vehicle on-board sensor measurements to accurately estimate the longitudinal position of the vehicle. Real-time localization is crucial to systems that utilize position-dependent information for planning and control. We validate the effectiveness of the localization method on a hierarchical control system. The higher level planner optimizes the vehicle velocity to minimize the energy consumption for a given route by employing traffic condition and road grade data. The lower level is a cruise control system that tracks the position-dependent optimal reference velocity. Performance of the proposed localization algorithm is evaluated using both simulations and experiments.

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arXiv2018

Optimization-Based Collision Avoidance

This paper presents a novel method for reformulating non-differentiable collision avoidance constraints into smooth nonlinear constraints using strong duality of convex optimization. We focus on a controlled object whose goal is to avoid obstacles while moving in an n-dimensional space. The proposed reformulation does not introduce approximations, and applies to general obstacles and controlled objects that can be represented in an n-dimensional space as the finite union of convex sets. Furthermore, we connect our results with the notion of signed distance, which is widely used in traditional trajectory generation algorithms. Our method can be used in generic navigation and trajectory planning tasks, and the smoothness property allows the use of general-purpose gradient- and Hessian-based optimization algorithms. Finally, in case a collision cannot be avoided, our framework allows us to find "least-intrusive" trajectories, measured in terms of penetration. We demonstrate the efficacy of our framework on a quadcopter navigation and automated parking problem, and our numerical experiments suggest that the proposed methods enable real-time optimization-based trajectory planning problems in tight environments. Source code of our implementation is provided at https://github.com/XiaojingGeorgeZhang/OBCA.

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arXiv2018

Adaptive MPC with Chance Constraints for FIR Systems

This paper proposes an adaptive stochastic Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy for stable linear time invariant systems in the presence of bounded disturbances. We consider multi-input multi-output systems that can be expressed by a finite impulse response model, whose parameters we estimate using a linear Recursive Least Squares algorithm. Building on the work of [1],[2], our approach is able to handle hard input constraints and probabilistic output constraints. By using tools from distributionally robust optimization, we formulate our MPC design task as a convex optimization problem that can be solved using existing tools. Furthermore, we show that our adaptive stochastic MPC algorithm is persistently feasible. The efficacy of the developed algorithm is demonstrated in a numerical example and the results are compared with the adaptive robust MPC algorithm of [2].

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