In the context of the growing maturity of on-road navigation,this study proposed a cross-disciplinary research direction-off-road navigation-based on the demands for navigation services in complex and unstructured environments.First,the development of on-road navigation and the demand scenarios of off-road navigation were introduced.Based on four specific aspects of vehicle trafficability,scientific issues in the transition from on-road to off-road navigation were presented,including refining remote sensing detection of geographical and geological trafficability elements,remote sensing-based retrieval of soft soil parameters in off-road areas,and quantitative mechanisms behind the impacts of climatic change on ground characteristics.Accordingly,the research direction of off-road navigation was clarified.Then,key technologies like vehicle trafficability calculation and characterization,digital road network construction in off-road areas,and intelligent path planning for off-road navigation were summarized.The technical approach of roadization for off-road areas and the concept of a digital road network for off-road areas were introduced,followed by the establishment of a comprehensive technology system for off-road navigation.Finally,in combination with practical applications,the potential of off-road navigation was confirmed.Research on off-road navigation will further enrich the connotation of navigation and expand its application bounda-ries.
off-road navigationelectronic navigation maptrafficabilitydigital road networkroadization for an off-road area