Context enhanced tracking algorithms for improved vision-based vehicle trajectory and intention analysis

This research project represents a comprehensive endeavour to advance the capabilities of vision-based detection and tracking systems in the context of the automotive industry. With a focus on developing robust tracking algorithms that incorporate contextual information, including road markings and detection methods aimed at providing required features for automotive analysis, the project aims to enhance the precision and reliability of traffic monitoring. Beyond this, the research extends its objectives to provide advanced capabilities such as intention estimation and safety assessment within driving scenarios. Throughout the project, a critical aspect will be the comparison between analytical and machine learning-based approaches, applying to their performance and suitability for real-world applications, this is their reliability and computational cost. With multidisciplinary insights from the AAPS CDT and a commitment to staying adaptable, this project aspires to contribute to the development of safer and more intelligent driving systems.

The outcome of this project is intended to be a more robust object tracking system that explores the use of as much detail from a video/scenario as possible. This is intended to allow for a system that can rely more on its motion estimation that it's feature extraction (a representation of how a vehicle looks to the computer vision system). There has been a trend recently that has seen state-of-the-art trackers using more observation centric designs which require more computationally intensive algorithms. This project hopes to shine light on a new approach capable of performing well with less resource use.
This project will show the effectiveness of using contextual information in the automotive field of computer vision and encourage research into this field. Hopefully, reducing the computational load and advancing the progress towards real-time systems that can really help society. This project will be working together with a research partner that is working on similar projects for various towns and cities across the globe. One problem they have noted is that, when tracking, they are struggling to get results at real time. This project will be implemented with their systems to reduce the resource use.

This computer vision-based research project focusing on real-time object tracking aligns with the principles and strategic goals of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) by promising advancements in transportation and public safety. By providing innovative solutions for real-time monitoring, this project can enhance the efficiency and safety of operations the industry. For instance, in transportation it could optimize logistics and improve traffic safety by tracking vehicle and pedestrian movements. Furthermore, this project could contribute to the UK's global competitiveness in the tech sector and support UKRI's mission to maintain the UK's world-leading position in research and innovation. A large number of related publications come from China and the US; this project could contribute to increase the UKs prominence in the field.

Impact Summary

This proposal has been developed from the ground up to guarantee the highest level of impact. The two principal routes towards impact are via the graduates that we train and by the embedding of the research that is undertaken into commercial activity. The impact will have a significant commercial value through addressing skills requirements and providing technical solutions for the automotive industry - a key sector for the UK economy.

The graduates that emerge from our CDT (at least 84 people) will be transformative in two distinct ways. The first is a technical route and the second is cultural.

In a technical role, their deep subject matter expertise across all of the key topics needed as the industry transitions to a more sustainable future. This expertise is made much more accessible and applicable by their broad understanding of the engineering and commercial context in which they work. They will have all of the right competencies to ensure that they can achieve a very significant contribution to technologies and processes within the sector from the start of their careers, an impact that will grow over time. Importantly, this CDT is producing graduates in a highly skilled sector of the economy, leading to jobs that are £50,000 more productive per employee than average (i.e. more GVA). These graduates are in demand, as there are a lack of highly skilled engineers to undertake specialist automotive propulsion research and fill the estimated 5,000 job vacancies in the UK due to these skills shortages. Ultimately, the CDT will create a highly specialised and productive talent pipeline for the UK economy.

The route to impact through cultural change is perhaps of even more significance in the long term. Our cohort will be highly diverse, an outcome driven by our wide catchment in terms of academic background, giving them a 'diversity edge'. The cultural change that is enabled by this powerful cohort will have a profound impact, facilitating a move away from 'business as usual'.

The research outputs of the CDT will have impact in two important fields - the products produced and processes used within the indsutry. The academic team leading and operating this CDT have a long track record of generating impact through the application of their research outputs to industrially relevant problems. This understanding is embodied in the design of our CDT and has already begun in the definition of the training programmes and research themes that will meet the future needs of our industry and international partners. Exchange of people is the surest way to achieve lasting and deep exchange of expertise and ideas. The students will undertake placements at the collaborating companies and will lead to employment of the graduates in partner companies.

The CDT is an integral part of the IAAPS initiative. The IAAPS Business Case highlights the need to develop and train suitably skilled and qualified engineers in order to achieve, over the first five years of IAAPS' operations, an additional £70 million research and innovation expenditure, creating an additional turnover of £800 million for the automotive sector, £221 million in GVA and 1,900 new highly productive jobs.

The CDT is designed to deliver transformational impact for our industrial partners and the automotive sector in general. The impact is wider than this, since the products and services that our partners produce have a fundamental part to play in the way we organise our lives in a modern society. The impact on the developing world is even more profound. The rush to mobility across the developing world, the increasing spending power of a growing global middle class, the move to more urban living and the increasingly urgent threat of climate change combine to make the impact of the work we do directly relevant to more people than ever before. This CDT can help change the world by effecting the change that needs to happen in our industry.