Platoon Vehicle Ordering and Spacing for Load-Safe Truck Convoys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Platooning technologies face a high risk of traffic accidents and secondary damage, particularly with trucks, due to the potential for loads to fall onto the road, necessitating a control system that minimizes accident likelihood and damage.
Innovation Solution
A platooning control system that includes a processor to detect travel environment states and vehicle loading rates, determining vehicle arrangement orders and spacing based on these factors to enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vehicles are arranged in a fixed spacing for platooning, then communication and coordination are simplified, but safety risk increases when heavy-loaded vehicles are positioned inappropriately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic vehicle arrangement that adapts to real-time conditions. The processor continuously determines optimal vehicle sequences based on loading rates, environmental factors (rain, snow, fog), and vehicle positions. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to maintain safe spacing arrangements while adapting to changing conditions, resolving the contradiction between fixed simplicity and adaptive safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the arrangement parameter (vehicle sequence and spacing) based on detected conditions. When heavy-loaded vehicles are detected, the processor adjusts their positioning in the platoon sequence. Environmental parameters (weather conditions) also trigger parameter changes in vehicle arrangement. This allows the system to optimize safety by changing arrangement parameters while maintaining operational coordination.
2Device complexity
If uniform vehicle spacing is maintained in platooning, then control complexity is reduced, but damage severity increases during secondary accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different spacing arrangements to different vehicles based on their specific characteristics. Heavy-loaded vehicles receive special positioning consideration (e.g., placed at the rear or with increased spacing) while other vehicles maintain standard spacing. This local differentiation in spacing quality prevents uniform spacing from causing cascading damage, as heavy vehicles are strategically positioned to minimize secondary accident impact.
3Ease of manufacture
If heavy-loaded vehicles are positioned at the front of the platoon, then visibility and road clearance are improved, but the risk of load falling onto the road increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from loading rate detection to determine vehicle positioning. The processor detects the loading rate of each vehicle and uses this information to decide the optimal position in the platoon sequence. Heavy-loaded vehicles are positioned based on this feedback, balancing road clearance needs with safety considerations. The system continuously monitors and adjusts arrangements based on this feedback loop.
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a device for controlling platooning, the device including a processor that detects a travel environment state for the platooning, detects weights or loading rates of vehicles to be participating in the platooning, determines an arrangement order of a line of the vehicles of the platooning based on the detected travel environment state and the detected weights or loading rates, and sets a vehicle spacing of the platooning based on the arrangement order, and a communication device for transmitting information on the arrangement order and the vehicle spacing.