AVCS: an overview of current applications and technology

While there is a common perception that the advanced vehicle control systems (AVCS) field is a collection of futuristic concepts with little present-day relevance, in truth there already exists a wide variety of vehicle control systems in ground transportation. The focus of this paper is the application and technology of guidance control and safety systems for vehicles that either travel, maintain, or build roads, however several classes of related vehicles are discussed briefly as well, along with roadway-based systems that actively provide real-time roadway condition information. The unifying purpose for these applications is to improve safety, whether by aiding the driver in controlling the vehicle as with anti-lock braking systems (ABS), or by actually removing the driver from a hazardous environment as for example with roadway maintenance automation or autonomous military vehicles. Of less importance now, but potentially more importance in the future are the efficiency benefits of AVCS arising from the higher speed and precision of automated systems relative to humans.