Cooperative Perception System for Aiding Connected and Automated Vehicle Navigation and Improving Safety

Cooperative perception that integrates sensing capabilities from both infrastructure and vehicle perception sensors can greatly benefit the transportation system with respect to safety and data acquisition. In this study, we conduct a preliminary evaluation of such a system by integrating a portable lidar-based infrastructure detection system (namely, Traffic Scanner [TScan]) with a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Level 4 connected and automated vehicle (CAV). Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication devices are installed on both the TScan and the CAV to enable real-time message transmission of detection results in the form of SAE J2735 basic safety messages. We validate the concept using a case study, which aims at improving CAV situation awareness and protecting vulnerable road user (VRU) safety. Field testing results demonstrate the safety benefits of cooperative perception from infrastructure sensors in detecting occluded VRUs and helping CAVs to plan safer (i.e., higher post-encroachment time) and smoother (i.e., lower deceleration rates) trajectories.