Stochastic Control Barrier Functions with Bayesian Inference for Unknown Stochastic Differential Equations

Abstract: Control barrier functions are widely used to synthesize safety-critical controls. However, the presence of Gaussian-type noise in dynamical systems can generate unbounded signals and potentially result in severe consequences. Although research has been conducted in the field of safety-critical control for stochastic systems, in many real-world scenarios, we do not have precise knowledge about the stochastic dynamics. In this paper, we delve into the safety-critical control for stochastic systems where both the drift and diffusion components are unknown. We employ Bayesian inference as a data-driven approach to approximate the system. To be more specific, we utilize Bayesian linear regression along with the central limit theorem to estimate the drift term, and employ Bayesian inference to approximate the diffusion term. Through simulations, we verify our findings by applying them to a nonlinear dynamical model and an adaptive cruise control model.