Radar-detection based classification of moving objects using machine learning methods

Abstract: In this MSc thesis, the possibility to classify moving objects based on radar detection data is investigated. The intention is a light-weight, low-level system that relies on cheap hardware and calculations of low complexity. Scania, the company that has commissioned this project, is interested in the usage potential of such a system in autonomous vehicle applications. Specifically, the class information is desired in order to enhance the moving object tracker, a subsystem that represents a crucial skillset of an autonomously driving truck. Objects are classified as belonging to one of four classes: Pedestrian, bicyclist, personal vehicle and truck. The major system input consists of sensor data from a set off our short-range mono-pulse Doppler radars operating at 77 GHz. Using a set of training and validation data gathered and labeled within this project, a classification system based on the machine learning method of Support vector machines is created. Several other supporting software structures are also created and evaluated. In the validation phase, the system is shown to discern well between the four classes. System simulations performed on logged radar data show promising performance also in situations not reflected within the labeled dataset.To further investigate the feasibility of the system, it has been implemented and tested on the prototype test vehicle Astator, and performance has been evaluated with regards to both real-time constraints and classification accuracy. Overall, the system shows promise in the scenarios for which it was intended, both with respect to real-time and classification performance. In more complex scenarios however, sensor noise is increasingly apparent and affects the system performance in a negative way. The noise is extra apparent in heavy traffic and high velocity scenarios.