Traffic Rule Formalization for Autonomous Vehicle

This study devised and implemented a Defeasible Deontic Logic (DDL)-based formalization approach for translating traffic rules into a machine-computable (M/C) format and thus solving rule issues: rule vagueness (open tex-ture expressions) and exceptions in rules. The resulting M/C format of traffic rules can be utilized for automatic traffic rule reasoning to assist the Autonomous Vehicle (AV) in making legal decisions. The method incorporates the compo-nents and behaviour of regulations based on the rule's obligation, prohibition, and permission activities.

The need for the encoding methodology is motivated by the desire for auto-mated reasoning over Autonomous Vehicle information involving traffic rules. A Queensland (QLD) overtaking traffic rule is used as a use case to illustrate this proposed encoding methodology’s mechanism and usefulness.