Platooning Speed Control for Mixed Vehicle Weights on Curves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing platooning technologies do not effectively manage the varying lengths and weights of vehicles in a platoon, leading to increased accident risks on curved sections due to differing safe speed requirements.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device that obtains curvature information, identifies curved sections with high curvature, and determines vehicle-specific speeds and paths using vehicle weight and length data to ensure safe platooning through curved sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If platooning vehicles drive in a formation with reduced inter-vehicle gaps to enhance fuel efficiency, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the risk of accidents increases on curved sections due to varying vehicle dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic speed adjustment for each vehicle in the platoon based on real-time curvature information and individual vehicle characteristics (length and weight). Instead of maintaining a fixed formation speed, the system continuously adapts speeds to match safe operating parameters for curved sections, resolving the contradiction between maintaining tight formation for fuel efficiency and ensuring safety on curves
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different speed control strategies to different vehicles within the platoon based on their specific characteristics. Each vehicle receives a customized speed recommendation tailored to its length and weight, allowing the system to maintain tight inter-vehicle gaps for fuel efficiency while ensuring each vehicle operates within safe speed limits for its dimensions on curved sections
2Use of energy by moving object
If vehicles maintain tight inter-vehicle gaps to reduce air resistance, then fuel efficiency is improved, but safety is compromised on curved sections due to differing safe speed requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring curvature information of the path and vehicle characteristics, then adjusting speed recommendations accordingly. This closed-loop control allows the platoon to maintain tight gaps for fuel efficiency while dynamically responding to curve conditions to prevent safety risks, as each vehicle's speed is continuously adapted based on feedback from curvature sensors and vehicle parameter data
3Ease of operation
If a uniform speed is maintained across all platooning vehicles, then coordination is simplified, but accident risk increases on curved sections due to varying vehicle dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from a single uniform speed value to multiple vehicle-specific speed values based on individual vehicle characteristics. By introducing curvature information and vehicle dimension parameters (length and weight) into the speed calculation, the system transforms the simple uniform speed control into a sophisticated multi-parameter control system that maintains coordination while eliminating the safety risks associated with uniform speed on curves
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device for platooning of vehicles comprises a camera, memory storing instructions, and a processor. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to obtain curvature information of a path to be entered by the vehicles performing the platooning, identify, based on the curvature information, a curved section having a curvature greater than a reference curvature on the path, obtain information on a vehicle including at least one of a weight of a vehicle or a length of a vehicle from each of the vehicles, obtain information on risk of each of the vehicles driving on the curved section using the information on the vehicle obtained from each of the vehicles and the curvature of the curved section, determine, based on the information on the risk, speeds of the vehicles, for driving on the curved section, and transmit the determined speeds to the vehicles.