Abstract: A position target for a planned speed change maneuver is received. From a predetermined family of kinematic functions, a kinematic function for carrying out the planned speed change maneuver, is determined. The kinematic function is a first or higher order derivative of acceleration with respect to time, and is computed in a constrained optimization process as substantially optimizing a cost function defined for the planned speed change maneuver, subject to a set of hard constraints.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of predicting behaviour of an agent for executing an objective of a mobile robot in the vicinity of the agent, in dependence on the predicted behaviour comprises: determining a reference path, wherein multiple actions are available to the agent, and the reference path relates to one of those actions; projecting a measured velocity vector of the agent onto a reference path, thereby determining a projected speed value for the agent along the reference path; computing predicted agent motion data for the agent along the reference path based on the projected speed value; and generating a series of control signals for controlling a mobile robot to fulfil the objective in dependence on the predicted agent motion data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of determining control signals for controlling an autonomous vehicle to implement a slowdown manoeuvre, comprising: detecting an obstacle at a distance ahead of the autonomous vehicle; comparing the distance with a threshold value and implementing a slowdown manoeuvre in dependence on the comparison, the slowdown manoeuvre selected from: a first slowdown manoeuvre carried out by a kinematic function, which is a time derivative of acceleration, in which a constraint optimisation has been applied to optimise a cost function of the slowdown manoeuvre subject to a set of hard constraints that require a final acceleration, speed and position to satisfy respective acceleration, speed and position targets, given an initial speed and acceleration of the vehicle, and impose a jerk magnitude upper limit; and a second slowdown manoeuvre implemented in an adaptive cruise control mode which aims to reach a target headway between the autonomous vehicle and the obstacle.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of determining control signals for controlling an autonomous vehicle to implement a slowdown manoeuvre, comprising: detecting an obstacle at a distance ahead of the autonomous vehicle; comparing the distance with a threshold value and implementing a slowdown manoeuvre in dependence on the comparison, the slowdown manoeuvre selected from: a first slowdown manoeuvre carried out by a kinematic function, which is a time derivative of acceleration, in which a constraint optimisation has been applied to optimise a cost function of the slowdown manoeuvre subject to a set of hard constraints that require a final acceleration, speed and position to satisfy respective acceleration, speed and position targets, given an initial speed and acceleration of the vehicle, and impose a jerk magnitude upper limit; and a second slowdown manoeuvre implemented in an adaptive cruise control mode which aims to reach a target headway between the autonomous vehicle and the obstacle.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of predicting behaviour of an agent for executing an objective of a mobile robot in the vicinity of the agent, in dependence on the predicted behaviour comprises: determining a reference path, wherein multiple actions are available to the agent, and the reference path relates to one of those actions; projecting a measured velocity vector of the agent onto a reference path, thereby determining a projected speed value for the agent along the reference path; computing predicted agent motion data for the agent along the reference path based on the projected speed value; and generating a series of control signals for controlling a mobile robot to fulfil the objective in dependence on the predicted agent motion data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of determining a series of control signals for controlling an autonomous vehicle to implement a planned speed change maneuver comprises: receiving from a maneuver planner a position target for the planned speed change maneuver; selecting, from a predetermined family of kinematic functions, a kinematic function for carrying out the planned speed change maneuver, each kinematic function being a first or higher order derivative of acceleration with respect to time; and using the selected kinematic function to determine a series of control signals for implementing the planned speed change maneuver; wherein the kinematic function is selected in a constrained optimization process as substantially optimizing a cost function defined for the speed change maneuver, subject to a set of hard constraints that: (i) require a final acceleration, speed and position corresponding to the selected kinematic function to satisfy, respectively, an acceleration target, a speed target and the position t