ARCHITECTURE AND METHODOLOGY FOR DEFENSIVE AUTONOMOUS DRIVING USING A PROBABILISTIC CONTROL STRATEGY

A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle includes receiving road data. The road data includes information about a plurality of potential events along the road ahead of the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining, in real time, a probability that the plurality of potential events along the road ahead of the autonomous vehicle will occur while the autonomous vehicle moves along the road and determining, in real time, an adjusted planned path using a probabilistic predictive control that takes into account the probability that the plurality of potential events along the road ahead of the autonomous vehicle will occur. Further, the method includes controlling the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to autonomously follow the adjusted planned path.