Threshold Analysis of Static and Dynamic Occlusion in Urban Areas: A Connected Automated Vehicle Perspective

This study comprehensively explores static and dynamic occlusion issues in urban scenarios, focusing mainly on their interplay with the rising prevalence of connected automated vehicles (CAVs). We propose a unique methodology for pinpointing static and dynamic occlusions and examining the impacts of CAVs that integrate collective perception in their sensing systems. A crucial aspect of our investigation is identifying a critical point concerning the CAV penetration ratio, past which dynamic occlusion ceases to exert significant influence. Based on our investigation, a penetration rate of around 34% seems to alleviate the problems associated with dynamic occlusions. Nonetheless, our research also uncovers that issues related to static occlusion may endure even with increased CAV penetration levels, thus requiring additional mitigation approaches. Furthermore, this study broadens the understanding of static and dynamic occlusion, creating a new metric to explain the level of visibility in urban areas. The framework applied in our evaluations is disclosed in conjunction with this paper. This research represents a substantial advancement in understanding and improving the operation of CAVs in occluded scenarios.