DE102022201107A1 - Method and communication unit for controlling a vehicle platoon with adaptive packet transmission rate for platoon control messages - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for convoy control by vehicle-to-vehicle communication in a convoy driving system (1) with a plurality of vehicles (V(1), ..., V(i-1), V(i), .. driving one behind the other). .), wherein the convoy control comprises repeated generation and transmission at regular time intervals of a convoy control message intended at least for a respective vehicle (V(i)) by a vehicle (V(i-1)) of the convoy driving system (1) driving directly in front of this vehicle. Each vehicle (V(i)) of the convoy driving system (1) determines its currently desired packet transmission rate (Rdes) for transmitting this convoy control message individually and transmits it at least to the vehicle (V(i-1)) driving directly in front, whereupon the vehicle driving in front (V(i-1)) transmits the convoy control message to the vehicle (V(i)) immediately following behind with the packet transmission rate (Rdes) desired by it.

Description

technical field

The invention relates to a process for convoy control in a convoy driving system with a plurality of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, driving one behind the other. The platoon control includes the transmission of suitable platoon control messages from vehicle to vehicle within the platoon driving system.

Technical background

Convoy control in a convoy driving system with multiple vehicles driving one behind the other requires reliable communication between the vehicles in order to ensure and maintain stability and safety of the vehicle platoon. The communication between the vehicles in the platoon is usually based mainly on a so-called platoon control message (PCM). This is known as a periodic message used to control the movement of the convoy vehicles in a feedforward manner.

According to a currently known specification, the PCM packet transmission rate is fixed, i. H. fixed, and is typically 20 Hz for a time interval of 1.5 s between consecutive vehicles. However, this number is not definitively standardized.

• (i) Basierend auf dem aktuellen Ansatz ist eine Anpassung der PCM-Paketübertragungsrate nicht möglich, sodass die Kolonnenanwendung im Falle eines sehr hohen Kanalbelegungsverhältnisses (channel busy ratio) unterbrochen werden müsste. Dies senkt die Verfügbarkeit dieses Dienstes.
• (ii) Der aktuelle Ansatz verursacht einen unnötigen Datenverkehr. In den meisten Fällen besteht das Ziel der Kolonnensteuerung darin, die Sicherheit und Automatisierung zu erhöhen und nicht zwingend den Zeitabstand zwischen den Kolonnenfahrzeugen zu verringern. Die Befolgung des Ansatzes mit der fixierten Paketübertragungsrate würde bei solchen Szenarios jedoch zu einer unnötigen Erhöhung des Datenverkehrs führen.
• (iii) Die fixierte PCM-Paketübertragungsrate sollte so festgelegt sein, dass die Kolonnenanwendung bei einem vorgegebenen zeitlichen Abstand der Fahrzeuge voneinander in einer sicheren Weise ausgeführt werden kann. Der aktuelle Ansatz, bei dem die Paketübertragungsrate von dem tatsächlich genutzten zeitlichen Abstand und anderen relevanten physikalischen Parametern unabhängig ist, erlaubt keine möglichen Erweiterungen dieser Anwendung in zukünftigen Systemen.

However, this current approach with the fixed packet transmission rate for the convoy control message (PCM message) has the following disadvantages:

• (i) Based on the current approach, an adjustment of the PCM packet transmission rate is not possible, so the platoon application would have to be interrupted in case of a very high channel busy ratio. This lowers the availability of this service.
• (ii) The current approach causes unnecessary traffic. In most cases, the goal of convoy control is to increase safety and automation and not necessarily reduce the time gap between convoy vehicles. However, following the fixed packet transmission rate approach in such scenarios would result in an unnecessary increase in traffic.
• (iii) The fixed PCM packet transmission rate should be set in such a way that the platoon application can be executed in a safe manner given a given time distance of the vehicles from each other. The current approach, in which the packet transmission rate is independent of the time interval actually used and other relevant physical parameters, does not allow any possible extensions of this application in future systems.

On the other hand, for example, is off U.S. 2018 0 374 367 A1 a device for a local convoy control of a transport vehicle is known. The apparatus comprises a transmit/receive module for receiving information related to a control command from a global platoon controller and for sending feedback information to the global platoon controller; and a control module for controlling the information transmitted from the transceiver module to the global platoon controller. The latter is done by determining information related to a discrepancy between control information received with information related to the control command from the global positioning controller and an actual state of the transport vehicle; and causing the feedback information to be transmitted to the global platoon controller based on the information related to the deviation. In doing so, the control module determines a feedback information transmission rate based on the information related to the deviation and sets the feedback information transmission rate to a first lower rate in response to the information related to the deviation indicating a first lower deviation adjust the feedback information transmission rate to a second higher rate in response to the information related to the deviation indicating a second higher deviation.

Also disclosed in a similar context U.S. 2020 0 402 407 a method for managing communications between a plurality of vehicles, comprising: transmitting data packets over a communications link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle; determining a communication attribute associated with the communication link between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the communication attribute being dependent at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to perform an automated vehicle function activation, an automated vehicle function deactivation, or an automated vehicle function adjustment. The attribute can be a latency, a number of packets, a rate of packets, correspond to a signal strength, a speed, a quality of packets, an amount of data or a timing of data.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the invention, a method for convoy control according to claim 1 and a communication unit set up for carrying out the method and a vehicle equipped therewith according to the independent claims are provided. Further embodiments are given in the dependent claims. All further features and effects mentioned in the claims and the description for the method also apply in relation to the communication unit and the vehicle, and vice versa.

According to a first aspect, a method for convoy control by vehicle-to-vehicle communication in a convoy driving system with a plurality of vehicles driving one behind the other is provided. The vehicles can in particular be motor vehicles, but in principle they can also be any land, air or water vehicle, provided they are suitable for moving in a communicatively connected or connected vehicle column.

• Dabei bestimmt jedes Fahrzeug des Kolonnenfahrsystems seine aktuell gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate für das Übermitteln der vom vorausfahrenden Fahrzeug erzeugten Kolonnensteuernachricht selbst, beispielsweise durch eine individuelle und situationsabhängige Berechnung oder andersartige Festlegung, und übermittelt die so bestimmte gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate (unter anderem, d. h. beispielsweise wiederum durch Broadcast seiner eigenen PCM-Nachrichten) an das unmittelbar vorausfahrende Fahrzeug, das infolgedessen seine Kolonnensteuernachricht(en) an das unmittelbar nachfahrende Fahrzeug (und aufgrund von Broadcasting auch an weitere Fahrzeuge) mit der von diesem gewünschten Paketübertragungsrate übermittelt.

For the purpose of platoon control, the method includes continuously repeated generation and transmission of a platoon control message (PCM) intended at least for a respective vehicle by a vehicle of the platoon driving system driving directly in front of this vehicle. The generation and transmission of the convoy control message takes place at suitably selected regular time intervals that are, for example, periodic or at least do not exceed a predetermined maximum time interval that is required for the cohesion of the convoy and the traffic safety of the vehicles driving in it. In this case, information in the PCM messages is usually transmitted by broadcast (ie not by unicast). All vehicles in the convoy are therefore in principle able to receive these messages and the information contained therein. This application deals with special additional information that is primarily intended for the vehicle driving behind or ahead and is also used by it as described here:

• Each vehicle of the convoy driving system determines its currently desired packet transmission rate for the transmission of the convoy control message generated by the vehicle driving in front itself, for example by an individual and situation-dependent calculation or other type of determination, and transmits the desired packet transmission rate determined in this way (among other things, i.e. for example again by broadcasting its own PCM messages) to the vehicle immediately ahead, which consequently transmits its convoy control message(s) to the vehicle immediately following (and also to other vehicles due to broadcasting) at the packet transmission rate desired by the latter.

One idea of the invention is to variably set a packet transmission rate for vehicle-to-vehicle communication in a convoy driving system with multiple vehicles, with the packet transmission rate being determined by the vehicle immediately behind and transmitted to the vehicle in front. This allows information to be efficiently conveyed to the following vehicles to maintain cohesion and safety in a convoy.

The basic idea behind this is to make the packet transmission rate for convoy control messages flexible—unlike in the prior art—depending on the respective status of the convoy driving system and the communication system used therein. A flexible packet transmission rate is known for other types of messages, such as CAM (Cooperative Awareness Messages) or CPM (Collective Perception Messages). However, there are some fundamental differences between a convoy control application addressed here and the use cases of CAM and CPM, which are typically addressed to a large number of different recipients and the transmission rate is therefore always defined on the sender side and independent of the respective situation on the receiver side. The major differences between the procession control messages (PCM) and the application specifics of the CAM and CPM include the following:

• In the convoy application addressed here, there is usually a closed group of vehicles driving one behind the other. Even if the convoy control message, similar to CAM or CPM, can be transmitted in an undirected manner (ie by broadcasting), it has desired recipients, ie one or more firmly defined target vehicles. A convoy control message, which is generated by a vehicle in the convoy, for example, can be required or used by other vehicles in the convoy under the following aspects:
  • (i) Cohesion: To maintain cohesion in a platoon of vehicles, a platoon control message generated by a vehicle of the platoon is required by the vehicles driving ahead and/or following. However, cohesion is not absolutely necessary for increasing security. On the other hand, the packet transmission rate required for cohesion is lower than for other purposes such as security.
  • (ii) Safety and stability of the vehicle platoon: Each vehicle needs the convoy control messages from its vehicle in front in order to be able to travel safely to one another at shorter time intervals (and the resulting spatial distances). In this context, different topologies of PCM usage in a column are possible, such as in 1 shown. How out 1 As can be seen, all of these topologies have one thing in common: This is the PCM connection between a respective ego vehicle (ie a vehicle that generates a convoy control message) and an immediately following vehicle. This PCM connection appears in each of the possible topologies. The reliability, latency and availability of the vehicle communication via this PCM connection play an important role in the safety of the platoon.

According to the method presented here, taking these aspects into account, the respective immediately following vehicle is defined as the main target recipient of the convoy control message. It is also stipulated that this target recipient determines the packet transmission rate that is suitable for him in each case and communicates it to the message-generating vehicle (which is also referred to above and below as the ego vehicle). The message-generating vehicle then sets the PCM packet transmission rate it is using for the vehicle immediately following to the value transmitted by the latter.

• Jedes Fahrzeug des Kolonnenfahrsystems bestimmt seine aktuell gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate, indem er sie beispielsweise abhängig von einem oder mehreren von folgenden Parametern berechnet:
  • - seiner aktuellen und/oder beabsichtigten Geschwindigkeit;
  • - seiner aktuellen und/oder beabsichtigten Beschleunigung;
  • - seinem aktuellen Fahrzeugzustand (wie beispielsweise Alter, Ausstattung, Ladezustand elektrischer Energiespeicher an Bord etc.);
  • - aktueller Geschwindigkeiten und/oder Beschleunigungen diesem Fahrzeug vorausfahrender und/oder nachfolgender Fahrzeuge des Kolonnenfahrsystems;
  • - aktueller und/oder gewünschter Abstände zwischen diesem Fahrzeug und einem oder mehreren vorausfahrenden und/oder nachfolgenden Fahrzeugen des Kolonnenfahrsystems;
  • - aktueller Wetter- und Lichtverhältnisse sowie etwaiger Warnmeldungen für einen vorausliegenden Fahrstreckenabschnitt;
  • - aktueller Auslastung eines für die Kolonnensteuernachrichten genutzten Kanals im Kolonnenfahrsystem. Beispielsweise kann die individuell gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate bei Überlastung der Paketübertragung im Kommunikationssystem, die etwa durch ein vorbestimmtes hohes Kanalbelegungsverhältnis (channel busy ratio) charakterisiert werden kann, zusammen mit dem Abstand zum unmittelbar vorausfahrenden Fahrzeug zur Wahrung eines sicheren Hintereinanderfahrens herabgesetzt werden.

In particular, it is therefore proposed here to use the following additional content in the PCM messages used in the convoy control (which can also have content and/or target transmitters and target receivers in the convoy mentioned purely by way of example below):

• Each vehicle in the convoy driving system determines its currently desired packet transmission rate, for example by calculating it depending on one or more of the following parameters:
  • - its current and/or intended speed;
  • - its current and/or intended acceleration;
  • - its current vehicle condition (such as age, equipment, charge level of electrical energy storage on board, etc.);
  • - Current speeds and/or accelerations of vehicles in front of and/or behind this vehicle of the convoy driving system;
  • - Current and/or desired distances between this vehicle and one or more preceding and/or following vehicles of the convoy driving system;
  • - Current weather and light conditions as well as any warning messages for a route section ahead;
  • - current utilization of a channel used for the convoy control messages in the convoy driving system. For example, the individually desired packet transmission rate when packet transmission is overloaded in the communication system, which can be characterized by a predetermined high channel busy ratio, for example, can be reduced together with the distance to the vehicle immediately ahead to ensure safe driving behind one another.

Since these parameters are time-dependent, the desired packet transmission rate can be calculated continuously or at predetermined regular or periodic time intervals and transmitted (for example with the PCM) to the vehicle immediately ahead.

In particular, the vehicle in front can also transmit the value of the packet transmission rate actually used by it to the vehicle immediately following, for example as part of or together with the convoy control message, which it transmits to the vehicle directly following (and due to broadcasting also to other vehicles in the convoy). . This information can be used by the following vehicle, for example, as a confirmation of the successful transmission of its desired packet transmission rate and/or as information or control over the packet transmission rate actually used by the vehicle driving ahead, in order to be able to adapt it if necessary.

• - Angaben über eine aktuelle und/oder beabsichtigte Geschwindigkeit des steuernachrichterzeugenden Fahrzeugs;
• - Angaben über eine aktuelle und/oder beabsichtigte Beschleunigung des steuernachrichterzeugenden Fahrzeugs;
• - Angaben über einen aktuellen Fahrzeugzustand (beispielsweise Alter, Ausstattung, Ladezustand der elektrischen Energiespeicher an Bord etc.) des steuernachrichterzeugenden Fahrzeugs und/oder weiterer Fahrzeuge des Kolonnenfahrsystems;
• - Angaben über aktuelle und/oder beabsichtigte Geschwindigkeiten und/oder Beschleunigungen weiterer Fahrzeuge des Kolonnenfahrsystems;
• - Angaben über aktuelle und/oder beabsichtigte Sicherheitsabstände zwischen dem steuernachrichterzeugenden Fahrzeug und einem oder mehreren vorausfahrenden und/oder nachfolgenden Fahrzeugen;
• - Angaben über aktuelle Wetter- und Lichtverhältnisse sowie über etwaige Warnmeldungen für einen vorausliegenden Fahrstreckenabschnitt;
• - Angaben über eine aktuelle Auslastung eines für die Kolonnensteuernachrichten genutzten Kanals im Kolonnenfahrsystem.

Purely by way of example, the convoy control message transmitted by a respective vehicle of the convoy driving system to the vehicle immediately following it and possibly other vehicles in the convoy can have one or include several of the following information and/or control commands dependent thereon, which are not to be construed as an exhaustive list:

• - Information about a current and/or intended speed of the vehicle generating the control message;
• - Information about a current and / or intended acceleration of the tax message-generating vehicle;
• - Information about a current vehicle status (for example age, equipment, state of charge of the electrical energy stores on board, etc.) of the control message-generating vehicle and/or other vehicles in the convoy driving system;
• - Information about the current and/or intended speeds and/or accelerations of other vehicles in the convoy driving system;
• - Information about current and/or intended safety distances between the vehicle generating the control message and one or more vehicles driving ahead and/or following;
• - Information about the current weather and light conditions as well as any warning messages for a route section ahead;
• - Information about a current utilization of a channel used for the convoy control messages in the convoy travel system.

As already mentioned, the convoy control can additionally include a continuous or repeated generation and transmission of further convoy control messages by one or more vehicles of the convoy driving system to vehicles of the convoy driving system that are driving further than directly behind.

According to a further aspect, a communication unit is provided for use in a respective vehicle of a convoy driving system with a plurality of vehicles driving behind one another. The communication unit is designed and set up for information technology communication with communication units of other vehicles of the convoy driving system and for the automated implementation of a method of the type presented here for convoy control. For this purpose, it can comprise, for example, a computing unit or a processor which is set up to carry out at least some steps of the method described herein. For this purpose, a corresponding computer program can be installed in the communication unit, for example, which, when executed in the communication unit, causes the communication unit to carry out at least some steps of the method of the type presented here.

According to a further aspect, a vehicle is provided which is equipped with such a communication unit. This enables the vehicle to be part of a convoy driving system with convoy control as described herein. The vehicle can in particular be a motor vehicle, but in principle also any land, air or water vehicle, provided it is suitable for movement in a communicatively connected or connected vehicle column.

• - Jedes Fahrzeug in der Kolonne kann einen individuellen (Zeit-) Abstand zum vorausfahrenden Fahrzeug wählen und seine gewünschte Kolonnensteuernachricht (PCM-Nachricht) gemäß seinen individuellen Anforderungen erhalten.
• - Die Kolonne muss und wird nicht aufgelöst werden, wenn der Datenverkehr im PCM-Kanal hoch ist. Schlimmstenfalls können die Fahrzeuge über das Instrument der flexiblen Anpassung der Paketübertragungsrate auf einen sicheren Abstand voneinander gehen und die gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate auf einen vorbestimmten Mindestwert setzen. Auf diese Weise können sie weiterhin von der zusätzlichen Sicherheit profitieren, die PCM bietet.
• - Die Kommunikationsressourcen im Kolonnenfahrsystem können effizienter genutzt werden.
• - Wenn jedes Fahrzeug permanent die Information in Bezug auf die aktuelle PCM-Paketübertragungsrate vom jeweils vorausfahrenden Fahrzeug erhält, können zusätzliche Überwachungsmechanismen, wie beispielsweise Watchdog oder Token, angewandt werden.

In particular, the following advantages for a convoy driving system can be achieved with the approach or method presented here:

• - Each vehicle in the platoon can choose an individual (time) distance to the vehicle in front and receive its desired platoon control message (PCM message) according to its individual requirements.
• - The column does not need to and will not be broken up when traffic in the PCM channel is high. In the worst case, the vehicles can move to a safe distance from each other via the flexible packet transmission rate adjustment tool and set the desired packet transmission rate to a predetermined minimum value. That way, they can continue to benefit from the added security that PCM offers.
• - The communication resources in the convoy driving system can be used more efficiently.
• - If each vehicle constantly receives information about the current PCM packet transmission rate from the vehicle in front, additional monitoring mechanisms such as watchdogs or tokens can be applied.

character list

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einiger repräsentativer Beispiele möglicher Topologien für die Fahrzeug-zu-Fahrzeug-Kommunikation zur Kolonnensteuerung gemäß einem Verfahren der hierin dargelegten Art; und
• 2 ein schematisches Blockdiagram zur Veranschaulichung des Verfahrens der hierin dargelegten Art gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

The above aspects and their variants and specific configurations are explained in more detail below with reference to the examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1 Figure 12 shows a schematic of some representative examples of possible topologies for vehicle-to-vehicle communication for platoon control according to a method of the type set forth herein; and
• 2 a schematic block diagram illustrating the method of herein laid type according to an embodiment of the invention.

Description of Embodiments

All of the various embodiments, variants and specific design features of the method and of the corresponding communication unit and of the vehicle mentioned above in the description and in the following claims can be implemented individually or in the above-mentioned combinations in the examples shown in the figures. They will therefore not all be repeated again below. The same applies accordingly to the definitions of terms and effects already given above in relation to individual features that are shown in the figures.

1 shows a schematic representation of some representative examples of possible topologies for vehicle-to-vehicle communication for convoy control according to a method of the type presented here in a convoy driving system 1. The convoy driving system 1 comprises a plurality of vehicles V(1), V(2), (V3) ...., V(i-1), Vi, all traveling in the same direction X in a row. i can in principle be any natural number.

As already described above, different topologies of vehicle-to-vehicle communication are possible for the convoy driving system 1 by transmitting convoy control messages (platoon control messages, PCM messages) for convoy control, of which 1 only some topology examples (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) are shown. The respective vehicle pairs and the direction of transmission of the PCM message are marked with an arrow. How out 1 As can be seen, all of these topologies (a)-(f) have one thing in common: This is the PCM connection between each vehicle V(i-1) and its immediately following vehicle V(i). This PCM connection appears in each of the possible topologies (a)-(f). The reliability, latency and availability of vehicle communication via this PCM message play an important role in the safety of the entire convoy of vehicles 1 .

• - Eine jeweils gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate R_des für PCM-Nachrichten wird vom nachfahrenden Fahrzeug V(i) and das vorausfahrende Fahrzeug V(i-1) übermittelt: Jedes Fahrzeug V(i) in der Kolonne berechnet seine gewünschte Paketübertragungsrate R_des für die Übermittlung der PCM-Nachrichten von seinem vorausfahrenden Fahrzeug V(i-1). Diese Berechnung wird beispielsweise auf der Basis eines gewünschten Zeitabstands, Geschwindigkeit(en) und Kommunikationsparametern wie einem Kanalbelegungsverhältnis (channel busy ratio) durchgeführt. Da sich diese Parameter mit der Zeit ändern können, ist es sinnvoll, die gewünschte PCM-Paketübertragungsrate R_des permanent zu berechnen und beispielsweise in einer PCM-Nachricht an das vorausfahrende Fahrzeug V(i-1) zu übermitteln.
• - Eine tatsächlich verwendete PCM-Paketübertragungsrate R_act wird vom nachfahrenden Fahrzeug V(i) and das vorausfahrende Fahrzeug V(i-1) übermittelt: Jedes Fahrzeug V(i-1) erhält die gewünschte PCM-Paketübertragungsrate R_des von seinem unmittelbar nachfolgenden Fahrzeug V(i). Daraufhin setzt das Fahrzeug V(i-1) seine tatsächliche PCM-Paketübertragungsrate R_act für PCM-Nachrichten, die für das nachfahrende Fahrzeug V(i) bestimmt sind, auf den von diesem gewünschten Wert R_dss und übermittelt diese Information als Bestätigung in seiner PCM-Nachricht an das nachfahrende Fahrzeug V(i). Insbesondere kann die Angabe der aktuelle verwendeten Paketübertragungsrate R_act in jeder seiner PCM-Nachrichten an das nachfahrende Fahrzeug V(i) enthalten sein.

2 FIG 1 . Vehicle V(i) is representative of any vehicle of convoy driving system 1, while V(i-1) designates a vehicle driving directly in front of this vehicle. In this exemplary embodiment, the following information/specifications, among others, are exchanged between the vehicles V(i-1) and V(i) permanently or at regular time intervals as part of PCM messages, as indicated in each case by curved arrows:

• - A desired packet transmission rate R _des for PCM messages is transmitted from the following vehicle V(i) to the preceding vehicle V(i-1): Each vehicle V(i) in the convoy calculates its desired packet transmission rate R _des for the transmission of the PCM messages from its preceding vehicle V(i-1). This calculation is performed based on, for example, a desired time interval, speed(s), and communication parameters such as a channel busy ratio. Since these parameters can change over time, it makes sense to constantly calculate the desired PCM packet transmission rate R _des and, for example, to transmit it in a PCM message to the vehicle V(i-1) driving ahead.
• - An actually used PCM packet transmission rate R _act is transmitted from the following vehicle V(i) and the preceding vehicle V(i-1): Each vehicle V(i-1) receives the desired PCM packet transmission rate R _des from its immediately following vehicle V(i). The vehicle V(i-1) then sets its actual PCM packet transmission rate _Ract for PCM messages intended for the following vehicle V(i) to the value _Rdss desired by the vehicle V(i) and transmits this information as confirmation in its PCM message to the following vehicle V(i). In particular, each of its PCM messages to the following vehicle V(i) can contain information about the currently used packet transmission rate R _act .

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• US 20180374367 A1 [0005]
• US20200402407 [0006]

Claims (10)

Method for convoy control by vehicle-to-vehicle communication in a convoy driving system (1) with a plurality of vehicles (V(1), ..., V(i-1), V(i), ...), driving one behind the other, wherein - the convoy control comprises repeated generation and transmission at regular time intervals of a convoy control message intended at least for a respective vehicle (V(i)) by a vehicle (V(i-1)) of the convoy driving system (1) driving directly in front of this vehicle; - Each vehicle (V(i)) of the convoy driving system (1) individually determines its currently desired packet transmission rate (R _des ) for transmitting this convoy control message and transmits it at least to the vehicle (V(i-1)) driving directly ahead; and - the preceding vehicle (V(i-1)) transmits the convoy control message to the immediately following vehicle (V(i)) at the packet transmission rate (R _des ) desired by the latter. procedure after claim 1 , where - the preceding vehicle (V(i-1)) additionally transmits an indication of the packet transmission rate (R _act ) actually used by it to the vehicle (V(i)) immediately following. procedure after claim 2 , where - the preceding vehicle (V(i-1)) communicates the indication of the actually used packet transmission rate (R _act ) in each case together with its convoy control messages. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each vehicle (V(i)) of the convoy driving system (1) determines its currently desired packet transmission rate (R _des ) depending on one or more of the following parameters: - its current and/or intended speed; - its current and/or intended acceleration; - its current vehicle condition; - Current speeds and/or accelerations of this vehicle (V(i)) preceding and/or following vehicles of the convoy driving system (1); - Current and/or desired distances between this vehicle (V(i)) and one or more preceding and/or following vehicles of the convoy driving system (1); - Current weather and light conditions as well as any warning messages for a route section ahead; - Current utilization of a channel used for the convoy control messages in the convoy driving system (1). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the convoy control message transmitted by a respective vehicle (V(i-1)) of the convoy driving system (1) to the vehicle (V(i)) immediately following it contains one or more of the following information and/or thereof dependent control commands includes: - Information about a current and / or intended speed of the control message generating vehicle (V (i-1)); - Information about a current and / or intended acceleration of the control message generating vehicle (V (i-1)); - Information about a current vehicle status of the control message-generating vehicle (V(i-1)) and/or other vehicles of the convoy driving system (1); - Information about the current and/or intended speeds and/or accelerations of other vehicles in the convoy driving system (1); - Information about the current and/or intended safety distances between the vehicle (V(i-1)) generating the control message and one or more preceding and/or following vehicles; - Information about the current weather and light conditions as well as any warning messages for a route section ahead; - Information about a current utilization of a channel used for the convoy control messages in the convoy driving system (1). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the convoy control additionally comprises a repeated generation and transmission of further convoy control messages by one or more vehicles of the convoy driving system (1) to vehicles of the convoy driving system (1) driving further than directly behind at regular time intervals. Communication unit for use in a respective vehicle (V(i)) of a convoy driving system (1) with a plurality of vehicles driving behind one another, the communication unit - is designed and set up for information technology communication with communication units of other vehicles of the convoy driving system (1) and for the automated implementation of a method for convoy control according to one of the preceding claims. Vehicle (V(i)), in particular a motor vehicle, with a communication unit claim 7 . Computer program product, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed, cause at least one data processing device to carry out the steps of the method according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 to execute. Machine-readable storage medium, comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one data processing device, cause the latter to carry out the steps of the method according to one of Claims 1 until 6 to execute.

Images