Design of a cooperative overtaking algorithm for platoons on freeways

Platooning can improve road safety, optimize traffic flow, and raise the driver’s comfort. However, when a platoon is stuck behind a slower vehicle, the total travel time is significantly increased. Overtaking as a whole platoon is a complicated maneuver and there is no communication-based algorithm for this task so far. Therefore, we design such a cooperative overtaking algorithm for platoons on freeways. The algorithm can decide, depending on the traffic situation, whether it is possible, useful, and safe to overtake. If that is the case, it executes the overtaking maneuver cooperatively without splitting up the platoon. The algorithm requires little technical equipment that goes beyond standard platooning. In particular, we do not assume that other road users have a Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication system installed. We theoretically define the algorithm by the use of Finite State Machines (FSMs) and implement it into a simulation environment. Thorough testing of the algorithm within the simulation environment shows that it works not only as expected, but can also avoid or handle possibly dangerous traffic situations. We also benchmark our algorithm against a non-communication based algorithm, the best case (the platoon is not delayed), and the worst case (the platoon cannot overtake). Our results show that it competes well. We further analyze the behavior of our algorithm in a parameter study and show that the algorithm does not overreact to changes of neither scenario-specific nor algorithm-specific parameters.

Author dc:creator

• Strunz, Martin

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Heinovski, Julian

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Identifier URI

http://dx.doi.org/10.14279/depositonce-11809

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:depositonce.tu-berlin.de:11303/13014