Systematic and Comprehensive Review of Clustering and Multi-Target Tracking Techniques for LiDAR Point Clouds in Autonomous Driving Applications.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) rely on advanced sensory systems, such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), to function seamlessly in intricate and dynamic environments. LiDAR produces highly accurate 3D point clouds, which are vital for the detection, classification, and tracking of multiple targets. A systematic review and classification of various clustering and Multi-Target Tracking (MTT) techniques are necessary due to the inherent challenges posed by LiDAR data, such as density, noise, and varying sampling rates. As part of this study, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was employed to examine the challenges and advancements in MTT techniques and clustering for LiDAR point clouds within the context of autonomous driving. Searches were conducted in major databases such as IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, ACM Digital Library, and Google Scholar, utilizing customized search strategies. We identified and critically reviewed 76 relevant studies based on rigorous screening and evaluation processes, assessing their methodological quality, data handling adequacy, and reporting compliance. As a result of this comprehensive review and classification, we were able to provide a detailed overview of current challenges, research gaps, and advancements in clustering and MTT techniques for LiDAR point clouds, thus contributing to the field of autonomous driving. Researchers and practitioners working in the field of autonomous driving will benefit from this study, which was characterized by transparency and reproducibility on a systematic basis.

A Kalman Variational Autoencoder Model assisted by Odometric Clustering for Video Frame Prediction and Anomaly Detection.

The combination of different sensory information to predict upcoming situations is an innate capability of intelligent beings. Consequently, various studies in the Artificial Intelligence field are currently being conducted to transfer this ability to artificial systems. Autonomous vehicles can particularly benefit from the combination of multi-modal information from the different sensors of the agent. This paper proposes a method for video-frame prediction that leverages odometric data. It can then serve as a basis for anomaly detection. A Dynamic Bayesian Network framework is adopted, combined with the use of Deep Learning methods to learn an appropriate latent space. First, a Markov Jump Particle Filter is built over the odometric data. This odometry model comprises a set of clusters. As a second step, the video model is learned. It is composed of a Kalman Variational Autoencoder modified to leverage the odometry clusters for focusing its learning attention on features related to the dynamic tasks that the vehicle is performing. We call the obtained overall model Cluster-Guided Kalman Variational Autoencoder. Evaluation is conducted using data from a car moving in a closed environment [1] and leveraging a part of the University of Alcalá DriveSet dataset [2], where several drivers move in a normal and drowsy way along a secondary road.