Vehicle Platoon Overtaking Control With Temporary Gap Creation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for vehicle platooning do not effectively manage overtaking by approaching vehicles, especially in situations with limited line-of-sight and single-lane roads, posing safety and efficiency challenges.
Innovation Solution
A communication device and radio nodes system that determines whether to allow a vehicle to overtake a platoon by obtaining information about the approaching vehicle and providing indications to create temporary space within the platoon, enabling safe and efficient overtaking through partial overtaking and remerging processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vehicle platooning is implemented to increase traffic efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, then traffic flow and environmental performance are improved, but overtaking safety deteriorates due to limited line-of-sight and single-lane road constraints
Solution Approach 1:
A communication device acts as an intermediary between the approaching vehicle and the vehicle platoon. This mediator collects information about the approaching vehicle, determines whether to allow overtaking based on safety criteria, and provides indications to both the approaching vehicle and the platoon members to coordinate the overtaking maneuver safely
Solution Approach 2:
The communication device performs preliminary actions by obtaining information about the approaching vehicle before the overtaking maneuver begins. It determines in advance whether overtaking is permitted and prepares the platoon by requesting space creation, ensuring all safety conditions are met before the actual overtaking occurs
2Loss of energy
If the vehicle platoon maintains tight formation to maximize aerodynamic benefits, then fuel consumption is reduced, but overtaking capability deteriorates due to insufficient space for approaching vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle platoon dynamically adjusts its formation during the overtaking process. The communication device requests that space be created within the platoon, and platoon members adjust their positions temporarily to accommodate the overtaking vehicle, then return to their tight formation afterward to maintain aerodynamic benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The platoon is temporarily segmented to create space for the overtaking vehicle. The communication device identifies which platoon members should adjust their positions and coordinates this segmentation, allowing the overtaking maneuver while maintaining the overall integrity and tight formation of the platoon for the majority of its structure
3Reliability
If the communication device collects comprehensive information about the approaching vehicle to ensure safe overtaking, then overtaking safety is improved, but system complexity increases due to information processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The communication device collects specific local information about the approaching vehicle that is directly relevant to overtaking safety, such as position, speed, and vehicle type. Rather than gathering all possible data, it focuses on the critical parameters needed for the overtaking decision, reducing processing complexity while maintaining safety
Data Source
AI summary
Method performed by a communication device (150) to determine whether to allow a first vehicle (111) to overtake a vehicle platoon (120). The platoon (120) comprises two or more second vehicles (121, 122, 123, 124). The communication device obtains (202) information about the first vehicle (111), when the first vehicle (111) is within a first distance (131) behind the platoon (120). The communication device then determines (203) whether to allow the first vehicle (111) to overtake the platoon (120) based on the obtained information. The communication device then provides (207), based on a result of the determining (203), a first indication to at least one of: a) a first radio node (161) in the first vehicle (111), and b) a second radio node (162) in one of the second vehicles (121) in the platoon. A method performed by the first (161) and the second (162) radio nodes is also disclosed. Publ.