Objectives  To ensure safety and prevent seabed collisions in complex unknown underwater environments, this study proposes a seabed safety domain model and tiered emergency response strategies.

  Methods  A vertical motion simulation model is established and verified by surpassing the test results, then used to calculate the active and passive safety domain distance of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), thereby establishing a seabed safety domain model. An AUV emergency control system and emergency strategies are then built on the basis of the dynamic safety domain model. The trim and distance from the seabed of the AUV are used to calculate the current and future risk factors. Based on the weighted sum, the comprehensive risk factor is employed to provide the AUV with emergency response strategies.

  Results  Lake tests with the AUV sailing at a fixed depth and height show a strong dependency of the comprehensive risk coefficient on seabed height when it is close to the boundary of the AUV's active safety domain. In the opposite case, there is a weak dependency of the comprehensive risk coefficient on seabed height. The results show that the proposed AUV emergency control system can reduce emergency false alarms caused by frequently changing riverbed heights and sailing altitudes close to the seabed. In such cases, reasonable emergency strategies can be realized under complex rough terrain.

  Conclusions  The AUV seabed safety domain model and tiered emergency response strategies based on vertical motion equations proposed herein can be applied to evaluate seabed collision risk in various cases. Finally, this paper provides emergency response strategies to avoid seabed collision accidents, which can enhance the safety of AUV navigation.