Path Tracking Using Simple Planar curves

This thesis presents a method of controlling an autonomous vehicles motion in a two dimensional environment. Its purpose is to expand the functionality of a vehicles motion by complementing a point to point path planning scheme with a path to path scheme. The method introduced in this paper will use the vehicles position and the desired reference path to calculate the necessary curvature to effect movement onto the desired reference path. The reference path will be a simple planar curve, such as, a circle or line. After successful testing of an operating algorithm, the method shall be incorporated into a robots software system. This path tracking method will lay the groundwork for a dynamic obstacle avoidance system for a mobile robot.