A review of vehicle active safety control methods: From antilock brakes to semiautonomy

Abstract

A comprehensive review of technologies and approaches for active safety systems designed to reduce ground vehicle crashes, as well as the associated severity of injuries and fatalities, is provided. Active safety systems are commonly referred to as systems that can forewarn a driver of a potential safety hazard, or automatically intervene to reduce the likelihood of an accident without requiring driver intervention. The data from naturalistic drivers has shown that such systems are instrumental in improving vehicle safety in various conditions, particularly at higher speeds and under adverse road conditions. The increased integration of sensors, electronics, and real-time processing capabilities has served as one of the critical enabling elements in the widespread integration of active safety systems in modern vehicles. The emphasis is placed on control approaches for active safety systems and their progression over the years from antilock brakes to more advanced technologies that have nearly enabled semiautonomous driving. A review of key active safety control approaches for antilock braking, yaw stability, traction control, roll stability, and various collision avoidance systems is provided.