Path planning and collision avoidance for autonomous surface vehicles I: a review

• Published in: Journal of marine science and technology Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 1292 - 1306
• Main Authors: Vagale, Anete, Oucheikh, Rachid, Bye, Robin T., Osen, Ottar L., Fossen, Thor I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.12.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Automotive Engineering; Autonomous surface vehicles; Autonomy; Collision avoidance; Engineering; Engineering Design; Engineering Fluid Dynamics; Groundings; Mechanical Engineering; Navigation; Offshore Engineering; Path planning; Review Article; Risk reduction; Stranding; Surface vehicles; Technology: 500; Teknologi: 500; VDP; Vehicles; Path planning; Autonomous surface vehicle (ASV); Safety; Artificial intelligence; Collision avoidance
• ISSN: 0948-4280; 1437-8213; 1437-8213
• DOI: 10.1007/s00773-020-00787-6

Autonomous surface vehicles are gaining increasing attention worldwide due to the potential benefits of improving safety and efficiency. This has raised the interest in developing methods for path planning that can reduce the risk of collisions, groundings, and stranding accidents at sea, as well as costs and time expenditure. In this paper, we review guidance, and more specifically, path planning algorithms of autonomous surface vehicles and their classification. In particular, we highlight vessel autonomy, regulatory framework, guidance, navigation and control components, advances in the industry, and previous reviews in the field. In addition, we analyse the terminology used in the literature and attempt to clarify ambiguities in commonly used terms related to path planning. Finally, we summarise and discuss our findings and highlight the potential need for new regulations for autonomous surface vehicles.