Trajectory Tracking Control of Autonomous Vehicles Combining ACT-R Cognitive Framework and Preview Tracking Theory

Abstract

By improving the ability of Trajectory Tracking Control (TTC) algorithms to mimic the manipulation behaviors of real drivers, which is of great significance in improving the personalized driving experience of autonomous vehicles. In this paper, we propose a TTC method that combines the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) cognitive theory framework with the Preview Tracking (PT) theory. Firstly, by analyzing and describing the ACT-R cognitive framework and the PT theory, a TTC framework that combines the two theories is proposed. Secondly, a virtual driving simulator was built to collect driving data from 30 drivers and construct a driving memory database. Thirdly, a central production system for driver trajectory tracking is designed, which consists of: three control modes, production rules, a timing generator, and filtering methods for driving memory segments. Fourthly, the TTC method based on PT theory is designed to adapt to different control modes. Finally, statistical and comparative analyses of the human-like trajectory tracking results of the proposed method were carried out through co-simulation experiments, and it was verified that the human-like performance of the proposed new method had a high degree of similarity with the manipulation behaviors and the vehicle motion state of the real driver. The real-vehicle experiments are carried out, which verifies the consistency of the proposed method with the results of the simulation experiments.INDEX TERMS Trajectory tracking control; human-like driving; autonomous vehicles; ACT-R cognitive framework; preview tracking theory.