Predictive virtual lane method using relative motions between a vehicle and lanes

We propose a new approach for virtual lane prediction. The main contribution of the proposed method is that the predicted virtual lane can be substituted for lane detection using a camera sensor when the camera image processing fails to detect the lane. The proposed method generates the predicted virtual lane using the relative movement between a vehicle and a lane. To predict the lane, a third-order polynomial function of the longitudinal distance is used as a lane model. Each coefficient of the lane polynomial function at the next sampling time is geometrically calculated using the relative movement of a vehicle, the lanes, the longitudinal velocity and the yaw of the vehicle at the present time. Then, the predictive virtual lane at the next sampling time is obtained without the lane information from the camera sensor at the next sampling time. The proposed method is simple enough that it is suitable for real implementation. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated via experiments with a test vehicle.