Autonomous Ground Vehicles-Concepts and a Path to the Future

Autonomous vehicles promise numerous improvements to vehicular traffic: an increase in both highway capacity and traffic flow because of faster response times, less fuel consumption and pollution thanks to more foresighted driving, and hopefully fewer accidents thanks to collision avoidance systems. In addition, drivers can save time for more useful activities. In order for these vehicles to safely operate in everyday traffic or in harsh off-road environments, a multitude of problems in perception, navigation, and control have to be solved. This paper gives an overview of the most current trends in autonomous vehicles, highlighting the concepts common to most successful systems as well as their differences. It concludes with an outlook into the promising future of autonomous vehicles.