System and method for road groove detection and control in automated driving

A system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• gathering sensor data;
• calculating one or more groove detection confidence values with the sensor data using one or more groove detection modules;
• evaluating the one or more groove detection confidence values using a road groove detection fusion module;
• determining whether a road groove is detected;
• communicating road groove data to an advanced driver-assistance system;
• and
• adapting trajectory and steering controls of a vehicle.

A vehicle management system comprising:

• a sensor system comprising one or more sensors for gathering sensor data;
• a road groove detection system;
• an advance driver-assistance system;
• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• gathering the sensor data;
• calculating one or more groove detection confidence values with the sensor data using one or more groove detection modules;
• evaluating the one or more groove detection confidence values using a road groove detection fusion module;
• determining whether a road groove is detected;
• communicating road groove data to an advanced driver-assistance system;
• and
• adapting trajectory and steering controls of a vehicle.