Multiple Condensation filters for road detection and tracking

In this paper, we present a novel and robust road tracking system for vision-based personal navigation. Novelty of the work includes the use of multiple Condensation filters to track the road of arbitrary shape and automatic switching between trackers according to road conditions. The approach allows the road to be represented as a simple hyperbola. It also supports the representation of the road as a sequence of connected arcs/segments so that information from a digital map can be integrated into tracking. The parameters of the hyperbola road model are estimated using multiple vanishing points located in image strips. The road tracking method is robust in dealing with complex road shapes, background clutters, shadows, and road markings. Experiments using real videos demonstrate the robustness of our approach.