Hybrid Human-Machine Perception via Adaptive LiDAR for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Abstract: Accurate environmental perception is critical for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems play a crucial role in ADAS; they can reliably detect obstacles and help ensure traffic safety. Existing research on LiDAR sensing has demonstrated that adapting the LiDAR's resolution and range based on environmental characteristics can improve machine perception. However, current adaptive LiDAR approaches for ADAS have not explored the possibility of combining the perception abilities of the vehicle and the human driver, which can potentially further enhance the detection performance. In this paper, we propose a novel system that adapts LiDAR characteristics to human driver's visual perception to enhance LiDAR sensing outside human's field of view. We develop a proof-of-concept prototype of the system in the virtual environment CARLA. Our system integrates real-time data on the driver's gaze to identify regions in the environment that the driver is monitoring. This allows the system to optimize LiDAR resources by dynamically increasing the LiDAR's range and resolution in peripheral areas that the driver may not be attending to. Our simulations show that this gaze-aware LiDAR enhances detection performance compared to a baseline standalone LiDAR, particularly in challenging environmental conditions like fog. Our hybrid human-machine sensing approach potentially offers improved safety and situational awareness in real-time driving scenarios for ADAS applications.