Synthesizing Follow-Up Drive Data for Enhanced Road Safety in Intelligent Driving Function Systems

Abstract: This study underscores the vital importance of intelligent driving functions in enhancing road safety and driving comfort. Central to our research is the challenge of obtaining sufficient test data for evaluating these functions, especially in high-risk, safety-critical driving scenarios. Such scenarios often suffer from a dearth of available data, primarily due to their inherent complexity and the risks involved. Addressing this gap, our research introduces a novel methodology designed to create a wide array of diverse and realistic safety-critical driving scenarios. This approach significantly broadens the testing spectrum for driver assistance systems and autonomous vehicle functions. We particularly focus on the follow-up drive scenario due to its high relevance in practical applications. Here, vehicle movements are intricately modeled using kinematic equations, incorporating factors like driver reaction times. We vary parameters to generate a spectrum of plausible driving scenarios. The utilization of the Difference Space Stopping (DSS) metric is a pivotal element in our research. This metric plays a crucial role in the safety evaluation of follow-up drives, facilitating a more thorough and comprehensive validation process. By doing so, our methodology enhances the reliability and safety assessment of driver assistance and autonomous driving systems, specifically tailored for the most challenging and safety-critical scenarios.