PPO-Based Vehicle Control for Ramp Merging Scheme Assisted by Enhanced C-V2X

TL;DR

This paper introduces a reinforcement learning-based vehicle control scheme for ramp merging, enhanced by a C-V2X communication protocol that improves reliability and reduces information delay, validated through simulations.

Contribution

It presents a novel merging control method integrated with an improved C-V2X protocol, enhancing communication reliability and safety in autonomous vehicle ramp merging.

Findings

Enhanced C-V2X Mode 4 reduces Age of Information compared to standard version.

The proposed control scheme ensures safe and smooth ramp merging.

Simulation results confirm improved communication and control performance.

Abstract

On-ramp merging presents a critical challenge in autonomous driving, as vehicles from merging lanes need to dynamically adjust their positions and speeds while monitoring traffic on the main road to prevent collisions. To address this challenge, we propose a novel merging control scheme based on reinforcement learning, which integrates lateral control mechanisms. This approach ensures the smooth integration of vehicles from the merging lane onto the main road, optimizing both fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. Furthermore, we recognize the impact of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication on control strategies and introduce an enhanced protocol leveraging Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) Mode 4. This protocol aims to reduce the Age of Information (AoI) and improve communication reliability. In our simulations, we employ two AoI-based metrics to rigorously assess the protocol's effectiveness in autonomous driving scenarios. By combining the NS3 network simulator with Python, we simulate V2V communication and vehicle control simultaneously. The results demonstrate that the enhanced C-V2X Mode 4 outperforms the standard version, while the proposed control scheme ensures safe and reliable vehicle operation during on-ramp merging.