3D multi-object tracking (3D MOT) stands as a pivotal domain within autonomous driving, experiencing a surge in scholarly interest and commercial promise over recent years. Despite its paramount significance, 3D MOT confronts a myriad of formidable challenges, encompassing abrupt alterations in object appearances, pervasive occlusion, the presence of diminutive targets, data sparsity, missed detections, and the unpredictable initiation and termination of object motion trajectories. Countless methodologies have emerged to grapple with these issues, yet 3D MOT endures as a formidable problem that warrants further exploration. This paper undertakes a comprehensive examination, assessment, and synthesis of the research landscape in this domain, remaining attuned to the latest developments in 3D MOT while suggesting prospective avenues for future investigation. Our exploration commences with a systematic exposition of key facets of 3D MOT and its associated domains, including problem delineation, classification, methodological approaches, fundamental principles, and empirical investigations. Subsequently, we categorize these methodologies into distinct groups, dissecting each group meticulously with regard to its challenges, underlying rationale, progress, merits, and demerits. Furthermore, we present a concise recapitulation of experimental metrics and offer an overview of prevalent datasets, facilitating a quantitative comparison for a more intuitive assessment. Lastly, our deliberations culminate in a discussion of the prevailing research landscape, highlighting extant challenges and charting possible directions for 3D MOT research. We present a structured and lucid road-map to guide forthcoming endeavors in this field.

翻译：三维多目标跟踪（3D MOT）作为自动驾驶领域的关键技术，近年来在学术关注度和商业前景方面均呈现出显著增长态势。尽管具有极其重要的地位，3D MOT仍面临诸多严峻挑战，包括目标外观的突变、普遍存在的遮挡、小目标检测困难、数据稀疏性、漏检问题，以及运动轨迹启停的不可预测性。学界已涌现大量方法应对这些难题，但该领域仍存在亟待解决的复杂问题。本文对该领域的研究现状进行了系统性梳理、评估与综合，在追踪3D MOT最新进展的同时，提出了未来潜在的研究方向。我们首先从问题定义、分类体系、方法论、基本原理和实证研究等维度，对3D MOT及其相关领域的关键要素进行了系统阐述。继而将现有方法分门别类，针对每类方法深入剖析其面临的挑战、理论依据、研究进展、优势与局限。此外，我们总结了实验评估指标并概述了常用数据集，通过定量对比为直观评估提供便利。最后，在讨论当前研究格局的基础上，着重指出现存挑战并勾画出3D MOT研究的可能发展方向。本文为引导该领域后续研究提供了结构清晰的发展路线图。