TruckTrix^® Path

The TruckTrix^® is an algorithm¹ developed at the Fraunhofer IVI. It automatically determines maneuvers that enable multi-module vehicles to reach a given destination based on digital maps, taking into account their complex vehicle geometry and kinematics. The digital maps contain information about trafficable areas and obstacles to be avoided. The TruckTrix^® algorithm is based on the A-Star (A*) graph search approach with special cost-functional² which is responsible for path optimization. Furthermore, we have provided several methods for path post-processing that help create well-drivable trajectories for vehicles with complex geometries as well as for highly automated vehicles.

¹ TruckTrix^® Paper 2013: http://publica.fraunhofer.de/dokumente/N-300510.html

² TruckTrix^® Paper 2021: http://publica.fraunhofer.de/dokumente/N-642541.html

The TruckTrix^® Path web service is based on the TruckTrix^® algorithm and can be accessed by any application all over the world via a standard API.

The advantages of the TruckTrix^® Path tool are:

• Web service provides optimal path planning for vehicles to any desired destination
• Takes into account complex vehicle geometry and kinematics
• Considers precise maps of critical narrows
• For most requests, the calculation can be performed within several seconds or minutes

• In the HeavyGoods project, TruckTrix^® Path is used to check passability and to create collision-free trajectories for single or multi-unit vehicles through critical narrows. 
• The helyOS^® control tower framework can use TruckTrix^® Path as an external plugin service for path planning in logistics centers, seaports, airports, etc.
  

Thanks to its web interface with access to a standardized API, TruckTrix^® Path can be used by any other external project in need of collision-free path planning for vehicles with complex geometries.

The algorithm is implemented in the TruckTrix^® Path tool, which runs permanently on a Fraunhofer server and can be accessed via web interface using a standard service API.

The request should contain:

• the vehicle geometry,
• the digital map,
• the starting position of the vehicle on the map and
• either the vehicle's target position or a spline trajectory to be driven by the vehicle exactly. In both cases, TruckTrix^® Path will calculate the corresponding path.

The TruckTrix^® Path tool is used as a plugin microservice in the helyOS^® control tower framework for mobile machines. helyOS^® requires the TruckTrix^® Path planner for any use case where automated vehicles are to fulfill a mission in a closed area. This can be a logistics center, a seaport, an airport, etc.

helyOS^®, like TruckTrix^® Path, is also part of the DriveLab project in which an automated model truck drives on a projected map.