Jiang, Luo (University of Alberta), Gordon, David (University of Alberta), Shahbakhti, Mahdi (University of Alberta)

Fuel-Efficient Control System Design for Cooperative Truck Platooning at Large Separation Distances

Scheduled for presentation during the Poster Session "Automated vehicle platoons" (ThBT16), Thursday, September 26, 2024, 14:30−16:30, Foyer

2024 IEEE 27th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), September 24- 27, 2024, Edmonton, Canada

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on December 26, 2024

Abstract

A platoon of multiple trucks in close proximity has the potential to improve fuel efficiency due to the reduced aerodynamic drag, but can the truck platoon also achieve a benefit under large separation distances? To investigate the performance of truck platooning under large separation distances, a model predictive controller (MPC) is implemented to optimize the fuel efficiency. The control objectives are not only to maintain the spacing at a desired range, but also to smooth the speed profiling of follower trucks by coordinating with each other to avoid unnecessary accelerations and decelerations. A two-truck platoon is simulated using the designed controller in Matlab/Simulink, and the results show that the proposed MPC can still help the follower truck achieve a fuel-saving ratio of 5.4% under 5 sec time gap in the driving cycle with large speed variations. Furthermore, aerodynamic drag reduction plays a dominant role in saving fuel with time gaps of less than 4 sec at highway driving speeds. The follower truck benefits more fuel saving by cooperative platooning under transient driving speeds when time gaps are larger than 3 sec.