Proposal Summary and Objectives

Vehicle platooning enables a group of autonomous trucks to travel closely together at relatively high speeds. Previous research has studied the benefit of truck platooning in reducing air drag, lowering fuel consumption and emissions. However, little research has investigated how multiple autonomous trucks can efficiently form a platoon on the road while not disrupting traffic operations for other vehicles in the traffic stream. This project seeks to develop a sequential synchronization control scheme to form a truck platoon, which starts with pairing two trucks and then sequentially adding additional nearby trucks into the existing platoon. The synchronizer for pairing two trucks will be built upon a hybrid prediction control model, which controls vehicle movement at a microscopic level. The performance of the truck platoon formation approach will be evaluated by microscopic simulation. To assist transportation agencies with policy decisions regarding truck platooning, the project will develop simulation studies to examine the traffic stream conditions under which it may be feasible and/or advantageous to enact, or enable, truck platooning. The products and results will significantly contribute to the development of truck platooning technologies and benefit national and local freight mobility.

Funding Amount:
Status: Active
Duration: June 1, 2022 – May 31, 2023