Automatic Two-Lane Path Generation for Autonomous Vehicles Using Quartic B-Spline Curves

In this paper, we introduce an algorithm for generating collision-free two-lane paths for unmanned vehicles used at mining sites by using quartic (degree 4) B-spline curves. Given the boundary geometry of the haul road area and the positions and orientations of the two-dimensional vehicle at the start and goal points, the algorithm automatically generates a collision-free two-lane path that satisfies the minimum turning radius constraint. Moreover, the resulting path shares the same third derivative at knots (joints), i.e., $C^3$ continuity, which guarantees a continuous rate of change of the curvature along the entire path. Examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.