Autonomous Vehicle Convoy Formation Control with Size/Shape Switching for Automated Highways

Today’s semi-autonomous vehicles are gradually moving towards full autonomy. This transition requires developing effective control algorithms for handing complex autonomous tasks. Driving as a group of vehicles, referred to as a convoy, on automated highways is a highly important and challenging task that autonomous driving systems must deal with. This paper considers the control problem of a vehicle convoy modeled with linear dynamics. The convoy formation requirement is presented in terms of a quadratic performance index to minimize. The convoy formation control is formulated as a receding horizon linear-quadratic (LQ) optimal control problem. The receding horizon control law is innovatively defined via the solution to the algebraic Riccati equation. The solution matrix and therefore the receding horizon control law are obtained in the closed-form. A control architecture consisting of four algorithms is proposed to handle formation size/shape switching. The closed-form control law is at the core of these algorithms. Simulation results are provided to justify the models, solutions, and proposed algorithms.