Vehicle following with obstacle avoidance capabilities in natural environments

A robust vehicle following system with obstacle avoidance capabilities for operation in natural environments is described in this paper. By combining a novel vehicle-tracking and detection algorithm with our path-planner for autonomous navigation, it was possible for a tracked logistics armoured ambulance carrier to follow a multi purpose vehicle in an equatorial jungle where few non-paved roads and markers exist. With this new approach, vehicle following performance is enhanced and vehicle safety ensured. Field trials performed in tropical jungle conditions have demonstrated the validity of the approach; results from the field works are included and discussed in this paper.