System and process for closest in path vehicle following using surrounding vehicles motion flow

A system for closest in path vehicle following using surrounding vehicles motion flow, comprising:

• a sensor device of a host vehicle generating data related to a plurality of vehicles upon a drivable surface in front of the host vehicle;
• a navigation controller including a computerized processor operable to:
• monitor the data from the sensor device;
• define a portion of the plurality of vehicles as a swarm of vehicles;
• identify one of the plurality of vehicles as a closest in path vehicle to be followed;
• evaluate the data to determine whether the closest in path vehicle to be followed is exhibiting good behavior in relation to the swarm of vehicles, the evaluating including:
• comparing a heading of the closest in path vehicle to be followed to a heading of the swarm of vehicles to determine a heading error of the closest in path vehicle to be followed;
• comparing a curvature of the closest in path vehicle to be followed to a curvature of the swarm of vehicles to determine a curvature error of the closest in path vehicle to be followed;
• and
• determining the closest in path vehicle to be exhibiting the good behavior based upon the heading error and the curvature error;
• and
• when the closest in path vehicle to be followed is exhibiting the good behavior, generate a breadcrumbing navigation path based upon the data, the generating including weighting the closest in path vehicle as a high-quality candidate to be followed based upon the good behavior;
• and
• a vehicle controller controlling the host vehicle based upon the breadcrumbing navigation path.

A process for closest in path vehicle following using surrounding vehicles motion flow, comprising:

• within a computerized processor of a host vehicle,
• monitoring the data from a sensor device collecting data related to a plurality of vehicles upon a drivable surface in front of the host vehicle;
• defining a portion of the plurality of vehicles as a swarm of vehicles;
• identifying one of the plurality of vehicles as a closest in path vehicle to be followed;
• evaluating the data to determine whether the closest in path vehicle to be followed is exhibiting good behavior in relation to the swarm of vehicles;
• and
• when the closest in path vehicle to be followed is exhibiting the good behavior, generating a breadcrumbing navigation path based upon the data;
• and
• controlling the host vehicle based upon the breadcrumbing navigation path.