Real-time Trajectory Generation via Dynamic Movement Primitives for Autonomous Racing

Catherine Weaver*

Roberto Capobianco

Peter R. Wurman

Peter Stone

Masayoshi Tomizuka*

* External authors

2024

Abstract

We employ sequences of high-order motion primitives for efficient online trajectory planning, enabling competitive racecar control even when the car deviates from an offline demonstration. Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMPs) utilize a target-driven non-linear differential equation combined with a set of perturbing weights to model arbitrary motion. The DMP's target-driven system ensures that online trajectories can be generated from the current state, returning to the demonstration. In racing, vehicles often operate at their handling limits, making precise control of acceleration dynamics essential for gaining an advantage in turns. We introduce the Acceleration goal (Acc. goal) DMP, extending the DMP's target system to accommodate accelerating targets. When sequencing DMPs to model long trajectories, our (Acc. goal DMP explicitly models acceleration at the junctions where one DMP meets its successor in the sequence. Applicable to DMP weights learned by any method, the proposed DMP generates trajectories with less aggressive acceleration and jerk during transitions between DMPs compared to second-order DMPs. Our proposed DMP sequencing method can recover from trajectory deviations, achieve competitive lap times, and maintain stable control in autonomous vehicle racing within the high-fidelity racing game Gran Turismo Sport.