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Analysis of a platooned car-following model with different inter-platoon communication levels

Shouwei Hui, Michael Zhang

TL;DR

This work addresses the stability of multi-platoon car-following models for connected and autonomous vehicles under varying inter-platoon communication levels and delays. It extends a single-platoon P-OVM framework to include no-interaction and two-way inter-connection configurations, and derives explicit linear stability criteria linking acceleration gain $a$, platoon size $N$, headway $h$, and delays $t_d$. The authors validate theoretical findings with MATLAB simulations on a ring road, incorporating maximum acceleration $a_m$ and emergency braking, and demonstrate that larger platoons and stronger intra-platoon connectivity enhance stability, while inter-platoon delays degrade it; HDVs benefit from following CAV platoons, even without specialized HDV control. Practical implications point to prioritizing robust intra-platoon V2V communication to achieve stability in dense traffic and to guide V2V communication design for mixed autonomy scenarios.

Abstract

Despite growing interest in vehicle platooning research, the effect of communication capability between platoons is not investigated to a depth of depth. In this paper, we extend a single-platoon car-following (CF) model to multi-platoon CF models for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) with different inter-platoon communication capabilities. Specifically, we consider forward and backward connection availabilities with delays between platoons. Using linear stability analysis, we discovered that for identical platoons, stability increases with platoon size and connection availabilities and decreases exponentially with large delay. With maximum acceleration and emergency braking constraints integrated into the models, we performed simulations for various cases of CAV platoons and mixed autonomy with human-driven vehicles (HDVs). The simulation results for CAV platoons are consistent with theoretical analysis. The mixed autonomy experiments demonstrate that in the ring road scenario, CAV platoons can stabilize HDVs without adaptions, and the effect of distribution is marginal. Overall, this paper provides valuable insights for designing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications and managing mixed traffic scenarios.

Analysis of a platooned car-following model with different inter-platoon communication levels

TL;DR

This work addresses the stability of multi-platoon car-following models for connected and autonomous vehicles under varying inter-platoon communication levels and delays. It extends a single-platoon P-OVM framework to include no-interaction and two-way inter-connection configurations, and derives explicit linear stability criteria linking acceleration gain , platoon size , headway , and delays . The authors validate theoretical findings with MATLAB simulations on a ring road, incorporating maximum acceleration and emergency braking, and demonstrate that larger platoons and stronger intra-platoon connectivity enhance stability, while inter-platoon delays degrade it; HDVs benefit from following CAV platoons, even without specialized HDV control. Practical implications point to prioritizing robust intra-platoon V2V communication to achieve stability in dense traffic and to guide V2V communication design for mixed autonomy scenarios.

Abstract

Despite growing interest in vehicle platooning research, the effect of communication capability between platoons is not investigated to a depth of depth. In this paper, we extend a single-platoon car-following (CF) model to multi-platoon CF models for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) with different inter-platoon communication capabilities. Specifically, we consider forward and backward connection availabilities with delays between platoons. Using linear stability analysis, we discovered that for identical platoons, stability increases with platoon size and connection availabilities and decreases exponentially with large delay. With maximum acceleration and emergency braking constraints integrated into the models, we performed simulations for various cases of CAV platoons and mixed autonomy with human-driven vehicles (HDVs). The simulation results for CAV platoons are consistent with theoretical analysis. The mixed autonomy experiments demonstrate that in the ring road scenario, CAV platoons can stabilize HDVs without adaptions, and the effect of distribution is marginal. Overall, this paper provides valuable insights for designing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications and managing mixed traffic scenarios.
Paper Structure (16 sections, 2 theorems, 29 equations, 15 figures)

This paper contains 16 sections, 2 theorems, 29 equations, 15 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Models for CAV platoons
  3. General assumptions
  4. Single platoon: base model
  5. Multi-platoon: no inter-connection
  6. Multi-platoon: two-way inter-connection
  7. Stability analysis
  8. Numerical simulations
  9. General information
  10. Experiments of platooned CAVs
  11. Different platoon sizes
  12. Fixed platoon size with delays
  13. Experiments of mixed autonomy
  14. Segregated CAV platoons and HDVs
  15. Evenly mixed CAV platoons and HDVs
  16. ...and 1 more sections

Key Result

Theorem 3.1

The no-connection multi-platoon model (leadernocon, follower) with identical platoon size $N$ is stable if

Figures (15)

  • Figure 1: Plot of an optimal velocity function and the corresponding fundamental diagram.
  • Figure 2: CF pattern of a single platoon
  • Figure 3: CF pattern of multiple platoons with no inter-platoon communication.
  • Figure 4: CF pattern of multiple platoons with forward and backward inter-platoon communication.
  • Figure 5: Neutral stability lines of the multi-platoon model with no connection of platoon size $N=2,3,4,5,6$.
  • ...and 10 more figures

Theorems & Definitions (10)

  • Remark 1
  • Theorem 3.1
  • proof
  • Remark 2
  • Theorem 3.2
  • proof
  • Remark 3
  • Remark 4
  • Remark 5
  • Remark 6