Speed profile generation based on quintic bezier curves for enhanced passenger comfort

Automated ground vehicles are becoming a reality for future deployment due to their potential improvement of safety, comfort or emission reductions. However, some challenges remain unsolved such as navigation in dynamic urban environments, where safety and comfort are paramount. In this paper, a novel speed profile generator, based on quintic Bezier curves, is presented. This approach permits to improve the comfort in automated vehicles by constraining the global acceleration in the whole ride. Moreover, a comparison with a Jerk limitation algorithm for continuous acceleration profile and a smooth speed profile is performed. The quintic Bezier curves assure continuity of velocity curves and therefore a smooth Jerk and acceleration profiles. The ISO 2631-1 standard, for evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration, is considered in both methods for lateral and longitudinal comfort constraints. Simulations show that this approach improves comfort by smoothing the acceleration and jerk profiles, while also constraining the total acceleration perceived by the passengers.