Autonomous Vehicle Platooning With Blockchain-Based Split Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current platooning systems for autonomous vehicles face challenges with centralized server delays and insecure vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocols, necessitating a secure and decentralized management solution.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a cryptography-based system with a blockchain data storage layer to manage autonomous vehicle platoons, allowing for secure network connections, digitally signed messages, and decentralized management through blockchain recording and validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized server is used to manage platoon positions, then position calculation and control can be achieved, but significant data transmission delays occur that could fatally impact the platoon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the position calculation function from the centralized server and implements it locally on each autonomous vehicle. Each vehicle independently calculates its own position and the positions of other vehicles in the platoon using received GPS measurements, eliminating the need to transmit sensitive position data to a central server and back, thus removing the transmission delay while maintaining control reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized control architecture is segmented into distributed local calculation units on each vehicle. Instead of one central authority calculating all positions, each vehicle performs local calculations for itself and other platoon members, dividing the computational workload and eliminating the single communication bottleneck that causes delays
2Reliability
If DSRC-based V2V communication protocol is used to coordinate the platoon, then reliance on NOC is reduced, but the protocol is insecure and capable of being manipulated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cryptographic intermediaries (digital signatures and blockchain) between vehicles to secure V2V communications. Each vehicle signs its messages with its private key, and recipients verify authenticity using public keys stored in the blockchain, creating a secure communication layer without requiring complex centralized security management
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cryptographic setup by storing each vehicle's public key in the blockchain before communication occurs. This preliminary action establishes trusted identity verification mechanisms in advance, allowing secure ad-hoc communications to occur without real-time security negotiation or complex protocol handshakes
3Loss of information
If DSRC protocol is used for V2V communication, then data transmission between vehicles is enabled, but the protocol is ephemeral and provides no storage of data that can be shared among a platoon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ephemeral DSRC communication protocol with the persistent blockchain data storage system. DSRC handles real-time position and control message transmission, while the blockchain provides permanent storage of vehicle identities, public keys, and platoon membership data, combining the strengths of both systems without either limiting the other
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a temporal dimension to data storage by separating ephemeral communication data (handled by DSRC) from persistent record data (handled by blockchain). This dimensional separation allows the system to simultaneously support real-time communication and long-term data retention without compromise
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are techniques for managing a platoon of autonomous vehicles. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising establishing a network connection between a plurality of autonomous vehicles, the plurality of autonomous vehicles operating as a platoon; receiving a request from a first autonomous vehicle to deviate from the platoon, the request comprising a digitally signed message from the first autonomous vehicle; assigning the first autonomous vehicle as a second master autonomous vehicle; permanently recording the assignment in a blockchain data structure; instantiating a new platoon path using the first autonomous vehicle as a head of the new platoon path; and disconnecting one or more autonomous vehicles associated with the new platoon path upon determining that the new platoon path is stable, the disconnecting causing the second master autonomous vehicle to manage the one or more autonomous vehicles using a second blockchain stored on the second master autonomous vehicle.