Multi-modal detection and parameter-based tracking of road borders with a laser scanner

This paper treats an important problem concerning driver assistance systems: the detection and tracking of road borders. The detection of the road boarders are created from the signals of a laser scanner system. Two different information can be taken from the laser signal: range and reflectivity. The range signal delivers the road edges at the basis of single scans. In opposite to that, to detect edges in the reflectivity, the reflectivity signals are arranged as images and a special image processing algorithm is developed. The fusion and tracking of this information is performed using an Extended Kalman filter where a circular curve is used as movement model.