A convoy of trucks can save fuel by drafting, following at small vehicle separations. Autonomous vehicles can follow much closer than human driven vehicles, in the sub meter spacing. A problem with this is that it can create a moving wall that blocks other traffic. For example, a convoy in the right lane of a two-lane highway could block a car in the left lane from exiting. If there was sufficient space in between the convoying trucks, the car could merge in between two trucks and then exit. Unfortunately, this larger spacing diminishes the benefits of drafting. The present invention involves a system for convoying autonomous vehicles that changes separation distances depending on the behavior of the surrounding autonomous vehicles comprising two or more autonomous systems, a set of sensors that allows it to sense its environments, other autonomous vehicles, their position, and their velocities and a control system that uses the location of the surrounding autonomous vehicles to adjust the convoy distance.
Intelligent Autonomous Convoy Control
2020-12-24
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen / B60W CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION , Gemeinsame Steuerung oder Regelung von Fahrzeug-Unteraggregaten verschiedenen Typs oder verschiedener Funktion / G08G Anlagen zur Steuerung, Regelung oder Überwachung des Verkehrs , TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS |
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