ACTiVE Research Group
Autonomous Driving • Vehicle Connectivity • Embedded Real-time Systems and Networks

About ACTiVE

ACTiVE (Autonomous and ConnecTed VEhicles) Lab conducts research on autonomous driving, vehicle connectivity, and embedded real-time systems and networks. With more than twenty years of experience, we design deterministic and fault-tolerant communication systems such as CAN, CAN-FD, CAN XL, FlexRay, and AFDX, and develop methods for worst-case response time analysis, scheduling, synchronization, and security in distributed embedded systems. Our research further extends to the development and deployment of autonomous driving functions, including HD map generation, trajectory planning, trajectory tracking, and cooperative maneuvers such as lane-change coordination and platooning. By integrating communication, control, and formal verification, ACTiVE aims to establish a unified and deterministic framework that enables reliable, time-predictable operation from in-vehicle networks to connected mobility and intelligent transportation systems across road and air domains.

Work in Progress

  • Unified Trajectory Framework for Autonomous Vehicles. Autonomous driving relies on precise and dynamically feasible representations of road networks and trajectories for planning, tracking, and prediction. This project develops a clothoid-based trajectory framework that employs compact path templates for road modeling, trajectory planning, trajectory tracking, and prediction, enabling real-time computation and consistent integration across simulation and embedded implementations.
  • Deterministic Communication and Synchronization in AFDX Networks. Safety-critical avionics and automotive systems require tightly bounded message latencies and synchronized execution across distributed nodes. This work advances worst-case response time analysis, offset-based scheduling, and weak synchronization of end systems to improve timing determinism and scalability in AFDX networks.
  • Secure and Time-Predictable Communication for CAN and CAN XL. Emerging in-vehicle networks demand both temporal predictability and stringent security under high data rates. ACTiVE Lab develops CAN-XL controllers that integrate clock synchronization, enhanced security features, and weak TDMA-based deterministic transmission, enabling dependable and secure communication in next-generation automotive architectures.
ACTiVE lab — about

People

Embedded Real-time Systems and Networks

Autonomous Driving

Autonomous Driving, Vehicle Connectivity, Embedded Real-time Systems and Networks

Publications

International Journal

  • Kilinc, Zeynep Ayhan, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Computation of tight bounds for the worst-case end-to-end delay on Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet." Journal of Systems Architecture 156 (2024): 103278.
  • Akpınar, Murat, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Weak TDMA for the Deterministic Medium Access on the Controller Area Network." IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems 25.8 (2024): 8568–8577.
  • Akpınar, Murat, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Predictable Timestamping for the Controller Area Network: Evaluation and Effect on Clock Synchronization Accuracy." IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems (2024).
  • Atagoziev, Maksat, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Lane change scheduling for connected and autonomous vehicles." Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies (2023).
  • Bingöl, Hilal, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "String stability under actuator saturation on straight level roads: sufficient conditions and optimal trajectory generation." IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems 23.12 (2022): 24588–24598.
  • Akpınar, Murat, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Highly accurate clock synchronization with drift correction for the Controller Area Network." IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems 33.12 (2022): 4071–4082.
  • Al-Dahhan, Mohammad R. H., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Voronoi boundary visibility for efficient path planning." IEEE Access 8 (2020): 134764–134781.
  • Al-Jhayyish, A. M. H., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Feedforward strategies for cooperative adaptive cruise control in heterogeneous vehicle strings." IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems 19.1 (2018): 113–122.
  • Sağlam, H. B., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Outputs bounds for linear systems with repeated input signals: existence, computation and application to vehicle platooning." Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences 26 (2018): 283–293.
  • Schmidt, Klaus Werner, Burak Alkan, Ece Güran Schmidt, D. C. Karani, and U. Karakaya. "Controller Area Network with priority queues and FIFO queues: improved schedulability analysis and message set extension." International Journal of Vehicle Design 71.1/2/3/4 (2016).
  • Kartal, Yusuf Bora, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Modeling distributed real-time systems in TIOA and UPPAAL." ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems (TECS) 16.1 (2016).
  • Schmidt, K. W., Robust Priority Assignments for Extending Existing Controller Area Network Applications, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 578 - 585, 2014. (SCI-E)
  • Schmidt, K. W., Schmidt, E.G., Distributed Real-time Protocols for Industrial Control Systems: Framework and Examples, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 1856–1866, 2012. (SCI)
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Message scheduling for the FlexRay protocol: the static segment." IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology 58.5 (2009): 2170–2179.
  • Schmidt, Ece Güran, and Klaus Schmidt. "Message scheduling for the FlexRay protocol: the dynamic segment." IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology 58.5 (2009): 2160–2169.
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Systematic message schedule construction for time-triggered CAN." IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology 56.6 (2007): 3431–3441.

National Journal

  • Kahya, A. H. M. A., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Clothoid-based lane change trajectory computation for self-driving vehicles." Çankaya Üniversitesi Bilim ve Mühendislik Dergisi 14.2 (2017).
  • Bingöl, Hilal, Erkam Çankaya, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "String stable cooperative adaptive cruise control under actuator saturation." Pamukkale University Journal of Engineering Sciences 22.8 (2016): 636–642.
  • Al-Dahhan, M. R. H., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Safe and efficient path planning for omni-directional robots using an inflated Voronoi boundary." Çankaya Üniversitesi Bilim ve Mühendislik Dergisi (n.d.).

Conferences

  • Sağırkaya, Hüseyin, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "An Approach for Defining and Predicting Faults in MIL-STD-1553 Bus in an Avionics Architecture." 2023 IEEE/AIAA 42nd Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC 2023), Barcelona, Spain, 2023.
  • Özdemir, Onur, Karagöz, Pınar, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Anomaly Detection in In-Vehicle Networks with Graph Neural Networks." 31st Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), 2023.
  • Acar, Tan Çağatay, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Fault-Tolerant Clock Synchronization with Drift Correction for Controller Area Network." 31st Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), 2023.
  • Bingöl, Hilal, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Controller Design for CACC with Time-varying Communication Delays." 31st Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), 2023.
  • Arkadaş, Doğa Arda, Murat Akpınar, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Clock Synchronization for the Controller Area Network Using Bit Timing Information." 30th Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), 2022.
  • Güldiken, Mustafa Çağlar, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Telegram Scheduling for the Multifunction Vehicle Bus (MVB): Algorithms and Evaluation." 2020 IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC). IEEE, 2020.
  • Akpınar, Murat, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Drift Correction for the Software-based Clock Synchronization on Controller Area Network." 2020 IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications (ISCC). IEEE, 2020.
  • Güldiken, Mustafa Çağlar, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Heuristic Algorithms for the Telegram Scheduling on MVB." 2020 IEEE 28th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2020.
  • Bingöl, Hilal, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Trajectory Generation for Vehicle Platoons with Input and State Constraints." 2020 IEEE 28th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2020.
  • Akpınar, Murat, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Evaluation of Clock Synchronization Algorithms for Controller Area Network." 2020 IEEE 28th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2020.
  • Yeniaydin, Yasin, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Lane Detection based on Best Pairs of Lane Markings: Method and Evaluation." 2020 IEEE 28th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2020.
  • Akpınar, Murat, Klaus Werner Schmidt, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Improved Clock Synchronization Algorithms for the Controller Area Network (CAN)." 2019 IEEE 28th International Conference on Computer Communication and Networks (ICCCN). IEEE, 2019.
  • Yeniaydin, Yasin, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Comparison of 2D LIDAR Data Segmentation Methods Based on Synthetic Data Generation." International Conference & Exhibition on Digital Transformation & Smart Systems (DTSS), Ankara, 2019.
  • Al-Dahhan, Mohammad R. H., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Path Planning Based on Voronoi Diagram and PRM for Omnidirectional Mobile Robots." International Conference & Exhibition on Digital Transformation & Smart Systems (DTSS), Ankara, 2019.
  • Güldiken, Çağlar, Klaus Werner Schmidt, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Optimal Telegram Scheduling for the Periodic Phase of MVB." International Conference & Exhibition on Digital Transformation & Smart Systems (DTSS), Ankara, 2019.
  • Yeniaydin, Yasin, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Sensor Fusion of a Camera and 2D LIDAR for Lane Detection." 2019 IEEE 27th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2019.
  • Batur, Aydın, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Offset Computation of Response Time Distributions for Messages on the Controller Area Network." IEEE Symposium on Industrial Embedded Systems (SIES), 2018.
  • Yeniaydin, Yasin, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Robust Lane Recognition Based on Arc Splines." International Conference & Exhibition on Digital Transformation & Smart Systems (DTSS), 2018.
  • Batur, Aydın, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Evaluation of Response Time Distributions for Controller Area Network Messages." 2018 IEEE 26th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2018.
  • Saraçoğlu, K., B. Uleş, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "A Lane Keeping System with a Weighted Preview Measurement." 2018 IEEE 26th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2018.
  • Yeniaydin, Yasin, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "A Lane Detection Algorithm Based on Reliable Lane Markings." 2018 IEEE 26th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU). IEEE, 2018.
  • Schmidt, Klaus Werner. "Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control for Vehicle Following During Lane Changes." IFAC World Congress, Toulouse, 2017.
  • Afşin, M. E., Klaus Werner Schmidt, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "C3: Configurable CAN FD Controller: Architecture, Design and Hardware Implementation." IEEE Symposium on Industrial Embedded Systems (SIES), Toulouse, 2017.
  • Batur, Aydın, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Offset Assignment on Controller Area Network: Improved Algorithms and Computational Evaluation." IEEE Symposium on Industrial Embedded Systems (SIES), Toulouse, 2017.
  • Çakmak, C., Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "A Fast and Optimal Method for Scheduling the Static Segment of FlexRay v3.0." 2017 IEEE 25th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Antalya/Belek. IEEE, 2017.
  • Afşin, M. E., Klaus Werner Schmidt, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "CAN FD Controller: Architecture and Implementation." 2017 IEEE 25th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Antalya/Belek. IEEE, 2017.
  • Batur, Aydın, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Improved Load Distribution for Controller Area Network." 2017 IEEE 25th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Antalya/Belek. IEEE, 2017.
  • Atagoziyev, Maksat, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Lane Change Scheduling for Autonomous Vehicles." 14th IFAC Symposium on Control in Transportation Systems, Istanbul, 2016.
  • Bingöl, Hilal, Erkam Çankaya, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "String Stable Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control under Actuator Saturation." National Conference of the Turkish National Committee of Automatic Control, Denizli, 2015.
  • Al-Jhayyish, A. M. H., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control Design for Heterogeneous Vehicle Strings." Engineering and Technology Symposium, Ankara, 2015.
  • Deaibil, I. B. A., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Performing Safe and Efficient Lane Changes in Dense Vehicle Traffic." Engineering and Technology Symposium, Ankara, 2015.
  • Kartal, Yusuf Bora, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Paylaşımlı Ethernet üzerinde çalışan özgün bir gerçek zamanlı haberleşme protokolü iş çerçevesinin doğrulanması." IEEE 20th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Fethiye, 2012.
  • Turan, U., Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Dinamik dağıtık gerçek zamanlı endüstriyel iletişim protokolü (d2gep) gerçekleştirilimi." IEEE 20th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Fethiye, 2012.
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "A Longest-Path Problem for Evaluating the Worst-Case Packet Delay of Switched Ethernet." Symposium on Industrial Embedded Systems (SIES), Trento, 2010. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Ece Güran, Burak Alkan, Klaus Schmidt, E. Yürüklü, and U. Karakaya. "Performance Evaluation of FlexRay/CAN Networks Interconnected by a Gateway." Symposium on Industrial Embedded Systems (SIES), Trento, 2010. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Optimal Message Scheduling for the Static Segment of FlexRay." IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC), Ottawa, 2010. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Schedulability Analysis and Message Schedule Computation for the Dynamic Segment of FlexRay." IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC), Ottawa, 2010. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, Ece Güran Schmidt, A. Demirci, E. Yürüklü, and U. Karakaya. "An Experimental Study of the FlexRay Dynamic Segment." Advances in Automotive Control (AAC), Munich, 2010. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Communication of Distributed Discrete-Event Supervisors on a Switched Network." Workshop on Discrete Event Systems (WODES), Göteborg, 2008. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, Ece Güran Schmidt, and J. Zaddach. "Reliable and Safe Operation of Distributed Discrete-Event Controllers: A Networked Implementation with Real-time Guarantees." IFAC World Congress, 2008. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Echtzeitimplementierung verteilter ereignisdiskreter Steuerungen mittels Kommunikationsnetzwerken." Entwurf komplexer Automatisierungssysteme (EKA), 2008.
  • S. Şenol, K. Leblebicioğlu, E. G. Schmidt. "Message Scheduling Algorithms for Networked Control Systems with Time Slotted Communication Protocols." IEEE 16th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), 2008.
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Message Scheduling for the Static Segment of the FlexRay Protocol." IEEE 16th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Didyma, 2008.
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Shared Medium Communication for Distributed Discrete Event Control." IEEE 16th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), Didyma, 2008.
  • S. Şenol, K. Leblebicioğlu, E. G. Schmidt. "FlexRay Simulator Development for Networked Control System." IEEE 15th Signal Processing, Communication and Applications Conference (SIU), 2007.
  • Schmidt, Klaus, Ece Güran Schmidt, and J. Zaddach. "A Shared-Medium Communication Architecture for Distributed Discrete Event Systems." Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation, 2007. [PDF]
  • Schmidt, Klaus, and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Modeling and Networked Implementation of Distributed Discrete Event Dynamic Controllers." 22nd European Conference on Operational Research (EURO), 2007.

National Conferences

  • Karakaya, U., D. Ç. Karani, B. Alkan, Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "AUTONET – An Automatic Scheduling Tool for In-Vehicle Networks." Automotive Technologies Congress (OTEKON), 2014.
  • Alkan, B., Ece Güran Schmidt, and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "In-Vehicle Communication Networks for Intelligent Transportation on Highways." 1st National Congress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transportation Systems (AUS), 2014.
  • Balcı, H. İ., and Ece Güran Schmidt. "Smart Highways for Pedestrian and Vehicle Safety: Communication Infrastructure and Current Applications." 4th National Road Traffic Safety Symposium, 2013.
  • Demirci, A., Ece Güran Schmidt, E. Yürüklü, and U. Karakaya. "Experimental Evaluation of FlexRay In-Vehicle Communication Networks." Automotive Technologies Congress (OTEKON), 2010.
  • Kart, B. E., and Klaus Werner Schmidt. "Ayrık olaylı sistemler için geliştirilmiş bir tanılayıcı." Mühendislik ve Teknoloji Sempozyumu, Ankara, 2013.

Talks and Interviews

  • Interview — Views on autonomous driving in the ODMD – Automotive Distributors & Mobility Association Magazine, theme: “Digitalization and R&D”. [Interview Article]
  • Interview — Views on vehicle connectivity in the ODMD Magazine, theme: “Next-Generation Vehicles Shaping the Future of the Automotive Industry”. [Interview Article]
  • Invited Talk in International Automotive Engineering Conference (IAEC 2017) Vehicle Connectivity in Intelligent Transport Systems: Today and Future. [Conference Website] [Presentation]

Projects

TÜBİTAK Funding

  • LIMITLESS: A general framework for autonomous vehicle trajectory representations using templates; applications to road modeling, trajectory planning, and prediction. TÜBİTAK 1001. Project end: 2028. PI: Klaus Werner Schmidt.
  • CANDS: Deterministic, real-time, reliable and cost-efficient in-vehicle communication for automotive CPS. TÜBİTAK 1001. Project end: 2023.
  • ITS Framework for Safety & Efficiency: Coordinated longitudinal and lateral maneuvers of heterogeneous autonomous vehicles on multi-lane highways. TÜBİTAK 1001. Project end: 2018. PI: Klaus Werner Schmidt.
  • Dynamic, Distributed & Dependable Real-Time Industrial Protocols over Ethernet: Design framework, implementation and experimental study. TÜBİTAK Career Award. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt. Project end: 2013.

TÜBİTAK & Industrial Collaborations

  • Software Design Tool for Algorithmic Scheduling of Automotive Networks — Industrial Project (TOFAŞ), TÜBİTAK support. Project end: Apr 2015. PIs: Klaus Werner Schmidt, Ece Güran Schmidt. [Project Presentation in OTEKON 2014]
  • CarCoDe Platform for Smart Car-to-Car Content Delivery — Industrial Project (TURKCELL), TÜBİTAK support. Project end: Apr 2015. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt. [Project Leaflet] [Project Website]

International Funding

  • OPINA: Open Innovation Autonomous Vehicle Development and Testing Platform. Project end: 2024. Researcher: Klaus Werner Schmidt. [Project Website]

    OPINA – Project Overview and Autonomous Driving Test Vehicle Videos

Industry Funding

  • FIBER-O: Multimedia (Serial, Camera, Ethernet) transfer over fiber cable (OGEMSAN). Project end: 2025. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • ARINC 664 (AFDX) Configuration Analysis Tool (ElectraIC). Project end: 2022. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Detection of Anomalies via Moving Camera in Open Areas — CV-based detection and transfer to in-vehicle units (ISSD). PIs: Klaus Werner Schmidt, Ece Güran Schmidt. Project end: 2022.
  • Electronic Control System Design, Realization and Validation for Advanced Construction Vehicles (HIDROMEK). Project end: 2020. PI: Klaus Werner Schmidt.
  • Fault-Tolerant High-Speed Bus Architecture — Design & Software Modeling (ElectraIC). 2020. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • SW & HW Development for Vehicle Tail-Light Software Test (Odelo). Project end: 2019. PI: Klaus Werner Schmidt.
  • Functional Safety Standards-Compliant Software Test Method (FARBA). Project end: 2019.
  • MOKA: Model-based Embedded Software Development (ROKETSAN — SAYP). Project end: 2018. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Connected Tractor: In-vehicle and V2X network architecture for next-generation tractors (TÜRK TRAKTÖR). Project end: 2017. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Body Control Module for Next-Generation Tractors (TÜRK TRAKTÖR). Project end: 2016. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Diagnoser Interface Development for Electric Vehicle (TOFAŞ). Project end: 2011. PIs: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt.
  • Drive-By-Wire Communication over FlexRay (TOFAŞ): Infrastructure for automatic parking and drive-by-wire applications. Project end: 2010. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.

METU Internal Funding

  • Lane Detection & Lane Keeping Control — Algorithm development, prototype implementation, evaluation. PI: Klaus Werner Schmidt.
  • METU-CAN: A CAN-FD Controller for In-Vehicle Communication — FPGA development, implementation and evaluation (METU). Project end: 2017. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Real-Time Communication Architecture for ITS (METU). Project end: 2017. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Shared-Medium Industrial Networking Protocol — design and development (METU). Project end: 2010. PI: Ece Güran Schmidt.

Theses

Recent Theses

Selected recently completed research from ACTiVE.

2026
Infographic for Kaan Çelik's thesis on offset scheduling methods for AFDX networks

Comparative Evaluation of Offset Scheduling Methods for AFDX Networks

Kaan Çelik · M.S. Thesis · September 2026

Kaan Çelik's thesis investigates how transmission offsets can be exploited to obtain tighter worst-case end-to-end delay guarantees in safety-critical AFDX networks. The work identifies a correctness issue in existing offset-aware Network Calculus when same-source Virtual Links diverge and later reconverge, and introduces route-coherent source groups to preserve source-timing information only while justified by the common route history.

A VL-specific analysis based on exact and compacted source sequences further reduces pessimism. In the largest A350-like configuration, the method provides tighter bounds for 99.9% of destination paths, with a 31.92% mean path-level reduction, while preserving conservative timing guarantees.

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Şenan Ece Schmidt and Prof. Dr. Klaus Werner Schmidt

Open infographic
Infographic for Gülce Nur Arman Gülten's thesis on clothoid-based road modeling and trajectory computation

A Unified Road Modeling and Trajectory Computation Framework for Autonomous Vehicles Based on Clothoid Curves

Gülce Nur Arman Gülten · M.S. Thesis · June 2026

This thesis develops a unified analytical framework for converting precise HD-map road and lane geometry into compact clothoid-based representations directly usable for trajectory generation. A hierarchical fitting strategy selects line, Generalized Elementary Path (GEP), or piecewise-linear clothoid models according to geometric complexity, while parallel-shift representations exploit common geometry in regular lanes and boundaries.

Evaluation on 5,351 lane geometries achieves a 7.5 mm mean RMS fitting error and 19.3 mm 95th-percentile RMS error. The analytical representation is further used for curvature-based speed-profile generation under acceleration and jerk constraints and validated through MPC trajectory tracking.

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Klaus Werner Schmidt

Open infographic

Ph.D.

  • A General Framework For The Deterministic Medium Access On The Controller Area Network, Murat Akpınar, Ph.D. Thesis, Defense date: June 2022. Advisors: Klaus Werner Schmidt, Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Communication and Coordination for Urban Intelligent Transportation: Architecture and Algorithms, Maksat Atagoziyev, Ph.D. Thesis, Defense date: February 2022. Advisors: Klaus Werner Schmidt, Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • Dependability Design for Distributed Real-Time Systems with Broadcast Communication, Yusuf Bora Kartal, Ph.D. Thesis, Defense date: June 2014. Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt.
  • QoC and QoS bargaining for message scheduling in networked control systems, Sinan Şenol, Ph.D. Thesis, Defense date: June 2012. Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Kemal Leblebicioğlu.

M.Sc.

  • Comparative Evaluation of Offset Scheduling Methods for AFDX Networks, Kaan Çelik, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2026.
  • A Unified Road Modeling and Trajectory Computation Framework for Autonomous Vehicles Based on Clothoid Curves, Gülce Nur Arman Gülten, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2026.
  • Offset scheduling for AFDX: definition, response time computation, and evaluation, Muhammed Fatih Elgin, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2025.
  • Sensor processing and controller design for trajectory tracking of autonomous vehicles, Muzaffer Temelli, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2025.
  • An efficient road representation for autonomous vehicles using arc-splines with application to trajectory planning, Atakan Salih Bolat, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2024.
  • An analytical method for the analysis and design of AFDX networks, Zeynep Ayhan, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2023.
  • Anomaly detection of MIL-STD 1553 traffic: Machine learning methods and realistic simulation evaluation, Hüseyin Sağırkaya, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2023.
  • Clock synchronization and weak TDMA for CAN FD: Implementation and evaluation, İsmet Onur Demirel, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2022.
  • AFDX (Avionics full-duplex switched ethernet) network simulation and performance analysis, İpek Peşkircioğlu Gökçe, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Murat Ucuncu, 2022.
  • Linear parameter varying control for autonomous systems: Methods and application examples, Fatih Çalış, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2022.
  • Cooperative adaptive cruise control with predicted vehicle information: Development and evaluation, Furkan Kılıç, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2022.
  • Estimation of vehicle signals for autonomous driving applications, Halil Temurtaş, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2022.
  • A new fault-tolerant real-time ethernet protocol: Design and evaluation, Emre Atik, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2021.
  • Transfer functions with positive impulse response: Feedback controller design and application to cooperative adaptive cruise control, İbrahim Tayyip İşler, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2021.
  • Clock synchronization algorithms on a software defined CAN controller: Implementation and evaluation, Serkan Yalçın, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2020.
  • Telegram scheduling for the periodic phase of the multifunction vehicle bus, Mustafa Çağlar Güldiken, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2020.
  • Optimal dynamic resource allocation for heterogeneous cloud data centers, Nazım Umut Ekici, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2019.
  • Sensor fusion of a camera and 2D LIDAR for lane detection and tracking, Yasin Yeniaydin, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2019.
  • C3: Configurable CAN FD controller: Design, implementation and evaluation, Mehmet Ertuğ Afşin, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2018.
  • Lane keeping control for self-driving vehicles, Kıvanç Saraçoğlu, Advisor: Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2018.
  • Controller area network with offset scheduling: Improved offset assignment algorithms and computation of response time distributions, Ahmet Batur, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2018.
  • An end-to-end communication architecture for intelligent transportation systems: Design, implementation and latency analysis, Çağatay Bağcı, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2018.
  • Efficient algorithms for the frame packing and slot allocation of FlexRay V3.0, Cumhur Çakmak, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2017.
  • RSAR: A layered software architecture for cyber-physical systems, Erhan Akagündüz, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Halit Oğuztüzün, 2015.
  • A generic and extendable system architecture for intelligent transportation systems, Kaan Çetinkaya, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2015.
  • UNIBUS: A universal hardware architecture for serial bus interfaces with real-time support, Mehdi Duman, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2015.
  • Controller area network response time analysis and scheduling for advanced topics: Offsets, FIFO queues and gateways, Burak Alkan, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2015.
  • Implementation and evaluation of the Dynamic Distributed Real Time Industrial Protocol (D2RIP), Adem Kaya, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2013.
  • An FPGA implementation of two-step trajectory planning for automatic parking, Halil Erturgul, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2013.
  • Software tool development for the automated configuration of FlexRay networks for in-vehicle communication, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, Can Öztürk, 2013.
  • Implementation and evaluation of the dependability plane for the Dynamic Distributed Dependable Real Time Industrial Protocol (D3RIP), Ömer Berat Sezer, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2013.
  • A software tool for vehicle calibration, diagnosis and test via controller area network, Utku Civelek, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2012.
  • Reducing worst-case message response times on CAN networks, Vakkas Çelik, Advisors: Ece Güran Schmidt, Klaus Werner Schmidt, 2012.
  • Implementing and evaluating the coordination layer and time-synchronization of a new protocol for industrial communication networks, Ulaş Turan, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2011.
  • Simulation and performance evaluation of a distributed real-time communication protocol for industrial embedded systems, Güray Aybar, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2011.
  • Implementation and evaluation of a synchronous time-slotted medium access protocol for networked industrial embedded systems, Ahmet Korhan Gözcü, Advisor: Ece Güran Schmidt, 2011.

Announcements

  • IAEC 2025 — Moderation Invitation
    Prof. Dr. Ece Güran Schmidt has been invited to serve as Moderator for the session “Yapay Zekâ ve Otonomi” (Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy) at the 10th International Automotive Engineering Conference (IAEC 2025), which will take place on 6 November 2025 at Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) Maçka Campus, Mustafa Kemal Amphitheater.
    IAEC 2025 focuses on “Advanced Vehicle Technologies” including Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy, Alternative Propulsion & Fuel Systems, and Materials Technologies.
    [Conference Website 2025]
    • IAEC 2017 — Prof. Dr. Ece Güran Schmidt participated as an invited speaker. [Website 2017] [Presentation]
    • IAEC 2018 — Prof. Dr. Klaus Werner Schmidt served as Moderator in the panel “Akıllı Araçlar İçin Düzenlemeler ve Testler” (Regulations and Tests for Intelligent Vehicles). [Website 2018]