Method and device for estimating a region of space occupied by a moving vehicle

A computer implemented method for estimating a region of space occupied by a vehicle which moves along a path, the method comprising:

• obtaining a nominal path {X(s):0≤s≤s0}, which is a curve in two- or three-dimensional cartesian space;
• recording a plurality of trajectories in the vehicle's state space {x(s;q):0≤s≤s0} while the vehicle is maneuvered along the nominal path in a variety of driving conditions q;
• for each trajectory, computing a corresponding lateral deviation {e (s;q)=(ei(s;q),er(s;q)):0≤s≤s0} off the nominal path;
• estimating a conditional probability distribution Fe(s)|X(s) of the lateral deviation given the nominal path;
• based on the estimated probability distribution, providing an outer limit of a region of space AX occupied by the vehicle which moves along the nominal path,
• wherein the computing of the lateral deviation and/or the providing of the outer limit is based on a two- or three-dimensional point set constituting a footprint (II) of the vehicle;
• and
• controlling the vehicle based on the outer limit to maintain a safety margin.