Simple Clothoid Paths for Autonomous Vehicle Lane Changes at the Limits of Handling

This paper demonstrates that an autonomous vehicle can perform emergency lane changes up to the limits of handling through real-time generation and evaluation of bi-elementary paths. Path curvature and friction limits determine the maximum possible speed along the path and, consequently, the feasibility of the path. This approach incorporates both steering inputs and changes in speed during the maneuver. As a result, varying path parameters and observing the maximum possible entry speed of resulting paths gives insight about when and to what extent a vehicle should brake and turn during emergency lane change maneuvers. Tests on an autonomous vehicle validate this approach for lane changes at the limits of handling.