Constraint-Driven Optimal Control of Multi-Agent Systems: A Highway Platooning Case Study

TL;DR

This paper introduces a constraint-driven optimal control framework for connected vehicles that naturally leads to platooning behavior, optimizing energy efficiency through aerodynamic interactions in highway systems, validated via simulation.

Contribution

It presents a novel optimal control approach integrating physical vehicle interactions to promote emergent platooning in highway traffic.

Findings

The framework predicts when platooning is beneficial.

Simulation confirms emergent platooning behavior.

Energy savings are achieved through aerodynamic considerations.

Abstract

Platooning has been exploited as a method for vehicles to minimize energy consumption. In this article, we present a constraint-driven optimal control framework that yields emergent platooning behavior for connected and automated vehicles operating in an open transportation system. Our approach combines recent insights in constraint-driven optimal control with the physical aerodynamic interactions between vehicles in a highway setting. The result is a set of equations that describes when platooning is an appropriate strategy, as well as a descriptive optimal control law that yields emergent platooning behavior. Finally, we demonstrate these properties in simulation.