Development of Adaptive Cruise Control System using Navigation Information

This paper reports on the development of an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system that uses navigation information to support acceleration/deceleration operations. The authors remind readers that standard ACC systems maintain a steady distance between vehicles by detection the distance between the vehicle with the ACC and the preceding vehicle through a radar sensor. Current ACC systems still depend on the driver to make the decision for the deceleration when entering a curve or the acceleration after driving through a curve. The authors report on the new system that supports the acceleration/deceleration operation by estimating the road curvature of the preceding curve based on the information from the navigation system. This development adds a function to the ACC and enables drivers to drive at a target speed according to the road curvature. The authors report on the successful road tests conducted with the ACC enhancements that demonstrate the system can develop a curvature calculation logic that is accurate enough to control vehicle speed at curves. This system could be used to reduce the driving workload for drivers.