Introduction to the Special Issue on “New Trends towards Automatic Vehicle Control and Perception Systems”

Milanés, Vicente; Bergasa, Luis · 2013 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3390/s130505712

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Summary

This editorial introduces a special issue of *Sensors* focused on new trends in automatic vehicle control and perception systems within Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The research is motivated by the urgent need to reduce global traffic fatalities, which exceed one million annually, and to address the limitations of current infrastructure-based solutions. The authors argue that intelligent systems, particularly Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous technologies, offer a viable path toward safer, more efficient transportation. The special issue originated from workshops held at the 2012 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium and comprises thirty-three peer-reviewed papers covering perception and control applications for humans, robots, and intelligent vehicles. The contributions are categorized into three domains. For human assistance, studies include a particle filter-based pedestrian localization algorithm achieving sub-2-meter accuracy and a stereo-camera obstacle detection system with acoustic feedback for the visually impaired. In robotics, the papers address diverse platforms such as indoor wheeled robots, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and unmanned aerial rotorcraft. Key methods include matrix Kalman filters for observability analysis, modified FastSLAM for underwater navigation, and adaptive fusion for altitude measurement during landing. Other robotic studies explore cooperative laser-based pedestrian tracking, real-time 3D terrain reconstruction, and cross-coupled controllers to reduce slip in all-terrain rovers. Regarding intelligent vehicles, the research emphasizes sensor fusion and robust control for autonomous navigation and safety. Notable works include a multi-sensor perception system for the SmartV-II autonomous vehicle, a freestanding position-based routing algorithm for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks, and enhanced map layers for urban GPS positioning. Additional studies present an intelligent indoor parking service, a forward collision warning system using laser scanners and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and a context-aided GNSS/IMU fusion system for urban navigation. The issue also covers driver monitoring via smartphone data fusion, robust lane segmentation under occlusion, and haptic steering assistance for multi-trailer vehicles. The significance of this collection lies in its comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in 2013, highlighting the shift from isolated sensor applications to integrated, multi-sensor fusion architectures. The authors emphasize that rigorous experimental validation on real platforms, rather than solely in simulation, is critical for developing reliable autonomous systems. By addressing challenges in perception, planning, and control across various environments, these contributions advance the field toward the ultimate goal of fully autonomous vehicles and improved road safety.

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