Trajectory segmentation for the autonomous control of backward motion for truck and trailer

For logistics centers the disposition and dispatch of goods has reached a high standard of automation. However, the trucks and trailers bringing and taking the goods are driven manually. This can at least be improved for the non-public traffic in the scope of logistics centers by autonomous forward and backward motion control for standard transportation vehicles. By an experimental system it has been shown that truck and trailer can be maneuvered autonomously at a high degree of precision. For purposes of safety it is necessary to guarantee that at any instant of time the vehicle is within some predefined area. Therefore this paper introduces the principle of safe cover segments which are never left by the vehicle in motion and defines rules for the connection of such segments forming a safe corridor.