RESEARCHERS at Heriot-Watt University are using advanced machine learning to better model human driving behaviour to improve simulators for autonomous vehicle testing.
The academics, from the learning institute’s school of engineering and physical sciences, are aiming to eliminate the limitations of existing systems by making more use of data to improve the performance and inform the design of next-generation simulators.
Research will be specifically focussed on the myriad of interactions and human-like decisions to provide developers of autonomous vehicles with a versatile AI tool to simulate a wider variety of realistic driving scenarios
Speaking about his research, Dr Cheng Wang, assistant professor in robotics, said, “Autonomous vehicles have the potential to significantly enhance the safety and sustainability of transportation in the future.
“While substantial progress has already been made, the safety assessment of autonomous vehicles remains a serious challenge, delaying their widespread adoption.
“Typically, the safety of autonomous vehicles is measured by comparing them to the performance of human drivers, however this requires hundreds of millions of miles of real-world testing, a process inherently fraught with unpredictable risks.
“We’ll be delving into advanced machine learning, using data to more accurately and realistically model human driving behaviour. We hope our work will ultimately help speed up the development and safety of autonomous vehicles by improving the simulation systems.”
Next steps in terms of real-world applications of Dr Wang’s research will involve collaborating with autonomous vehicle manufacturing companies to incorporate the new models into their simulation frameworks, ultimately improving the safety of autonomous vehicles.
