LINE ACQUISITION PATH GENERATION

A line acquisition system generates a curvature profile based on initial vehicle states (starting position, heading, curvature and speed), vehicle steering capabilities (calibrated vehicle curvature and curvature rate limits), and initial vehicle position errors relative to the destination path. The curvature profile describes changes in vehicle curvature over a path distance from a current position to a destination path. The line acquisition system constructs an acquisition path from a combination of clothoid, circular arc, and straight lines corresponding with different segments of the curvature profile. The acquisition path can be displayed on a user interface allowing a vehicle operator to observe, prior to automatic steering engagement, the path the vehicle would take from a current state to the destination path.