WO2015047175A1 - Method and system for a common driving strategy for vehicle platoons - Google Patents
Method and system for a common driving strategy for vehicle platoons Download PDFInfo
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 24
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 35
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Classifications
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- G05D1/695—
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- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
- G05D1/02—Control of position or course in two dimensions
- G05D1/021—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles
- G05D1/0287—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling
- G05D1/0291—Fleet control
- G05D1/0295—Fleet control by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units, or advanced driver assistance systems for ensuring comfort, stability and safety or drive control systems for propelling or retarding the vehicle
- B60W30/14—Adaptive cruise control
- B60W30/16—Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units, or advanced driver assistance systems for ensuring comfort, stability and safety or drive control systems for propelling or retarding the vehicle
- B60W30/14—Adaptive cruise control
- B60W30/16—Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
- B60W30/165—Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/22—Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
Abstract
A method and a system (4) to control a vehicle platoon that comprises at least one lead vehicle and one additional vehicle, each of which has a positioning unit (1) and a unit (2) for wireless communication. The system (4) comprises: - a driving profile unit (6), configured to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon along a road horizon, wherein the driving profile contains target values b for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon; - a change of gear profile unit (8) configured to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on properties of the horizon and on properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the horizon. An analysis unit (7) is configured to determine a driving strategy for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon based on at least the driving profile and the transmission gear-change profile for the vehicle fk; to generate a driving strategy signal that indicates the driving strategy, and to transmit the driving strategy signal to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy.
Description
Title
Method and system for a common driving strategy for vehicle platoons Technical area
The present invention relates to a system and a method for vehicle platoons where a common driving strategy is determined for the vehicle platoon by taking into consideration a driving profile and a transmission gear profile over a future road horizon. Background to the invention
The intensity of traffic is high on major roads in Europe, and it is expected to increase. The increased transport of people and goods not only gives rise to traffic problems in the form of traffic queues, it also requires ever-increasing amounts of energy, which eventually gives rise to the emission of, for example, greenhouse gases. One possible contribution to solving these problems is to allow vehicles to be driven closer together in what are known as "vehicle platoons". The term "vehicle platoon" is here used to denote a number of vehicles with short distances between them, being driven as a single unit. The short distances lead to it being possible for more traffic to use the road, and the energy consumption for an individual vehicle will be reduced since the drag is reduced. The vehicles in the vehicle platoon are driven with at least one of an automated control of the speed of the vehicle and an automated control of its direction. This leads to vehicle drivers such as truck drivers being subject to a reduced load, accidents based on erroneous human decisions being reduced, and the possibility of reducing fuel consumption. Studies show that the fuel consumption of the lead vehicle in the vehicle platoon can be reduced by 2 to 10%, and that of the following vehicle by 15 to 20%, from the fuel consumption of a vehicle driving alone. This is the case in conditions in which the distance between the vehicles is 8-16 metres and the speed at which they travel is 80 km/h. The reduced fuel consumption gives a corresponding reduction in the emission of CO2.
Drivers are already using this well-known fact, which has a reduced traffic safety as a consequence. One fundamental question related to vehicle platoons is how the time gap between vehicles can be reduced from the recommended 3 seconds to a value between 0.5 and 1 second, without affecting traffic safety. With distance sensors and cameras, the reaction time of the driver can be eliminated. This is a type of technology that is already being used today by systems such as ACC (adaptive cruise control) and LKA (lane-keeping assistance). One limitation, however, is that distance sensors and cameras require a clear view of the target, and this makes it difficult to detect events that lie more than a pair of vehicles ahead in the queue. A further limitation is that the cruise-control system cannot act proactively, i.e., the cruise-control system cannot react to events that occur further in advance in the traffic that are going to affect the traffic rhythm.
One possibility to enable vehicles to act proactively is to arrange that the vehicles communicate in order to be able to exchange information between them. One development of the IEEE-standard 802.1 1 for WLAN (wireless local area networks) known as "802.1 1 p" makes possible the wireless transfer of information between vehicles, and between vehicles and infrastructure. Different types of information, such as vehicle parameters and strategies, can be transmitted to and from the vehicles. The development of communication technology, thus, has made it possible to design vehicles and infrastructure that can interact and act proactively. Vehicles can act as a unit and thus a shorter distance between them, and better global traffic flow, are made possible. Many vehicles today are equipped also with a cruise-control system in order to make it easier for the driver to drive the vehicle. The desired speed can in this case be set by the driver by, for example, a controller in the dashboard, and a cruise-control system in the vehicle subsequently influences a control system such that it accelerates and brakes the vehicle as appropriate, in order to maintain the desired speed. If the vehicle is equipped with an automatic gear-change system, the gear in which the vehicle is being driven is changed, such that the vehicle can maintain the desired speed.
When the cruise-control system is used in hilly terrain, the cruise-control system will attempt to maintain the preset speed along uphill sections. This sometimes has the consequence that the vehicle accelerates over the top of the hill and possibly into a subsequent downhill section such that it subsequently must be braked in order not to exceed the preset speed, and this constitutes a manner of driving a vehicle that is wasteful of fuel. Furthermore, the engine power of the vehicle and its mass, naturally, both influence the possibility of driving the vehicle in a fuel-efficient manner. A low-power engine and a vehicle of large mass, for example, affect the possibility of maintaining the preset speed along an uphill stretch. By varying the speed of the vehicle in hilly terrain, fuel can be saved, compared with the fuel consumption of a vehicle with a conventional cruise- control system. If the topology that lies ahead is made known through the vehicle having map data and positioning equipment, such systems can be made more robust, and they can change the speed of the vehicle before events have occurred. This is achieved with what is known as "look-ahead cruise control", abbreviated as "LAC".
The situation, however, becomes more complex when a fuel-optimal driving strategy is to be drawn up for a complete vehicle platoon. Additional aspects must be considered, such as retention of the optimal distance, physically possible speed profiles for all vehicles with different masses, and engine capacities. One additional aspect for a vehicle platoon during travel through varying topography is that the lead vehicle, when it has lost speed in an uphill section, resumes its preset speed after the hill. The following vehicles, which then are still present in the uphill section, will be forced to accelerate while travelling uphill, which is not fuel-efficient. Nor is it always possible, which means that gaps will be created in the vehicle platoon, which gaps must, in turn, be closed. This creates oscillations in the vehicle platoon. A similar behaviour is observed also in downhill sections, when the lead vehicle starts to accelerate in the downhill section due to its large mass. The following vehicles are in this case compelled to accelerate before they reach the downhill section, since they attempt to maintain constant the distance to
vehicles in front. After the downhill section, the lead vehicle starts to decelerate in order to return to the preset speed. The following vehicles, which then are still present in the downhill section, will be compelled to brake in order to avoid causing a collision, which braking is not fuel-efficient.
A similar problem arises when driving around bends. In the case of an individual vehicle, it is possible to calculate the maximum speed that a vehicle should have through the bend, based on various factors such as driver comfort, centre of gravity, risk of tipping, the topology, etc., through the use of a predictive cruise- control system. It is, however, not obvious how a vehicle platoon should take the bend. In the case in which the lead vehicle needs to decelerate from its preset speed in order to be able to take the bend, it will return to its preset speed after the bend. The following vehicles, which then are still present in the bend, will be compelled to accelerate in the bend, which may not be possible without exposing the vehicles to risks, such as the risk of leaving the carriageway.
When a heavy vehicle travels through varying topography, the vehicle loses and gains speed depending on the gradient of the road. This occurs because the mass of the vehicle is large, when means that the engine cannot fully counteract the force of gravity. The heavy vehicle can lose a great deal of speed in particular in steep uphill sections, when an erroneous gear is selected when changing down. This may lead to the vehicle losing so much speed that it is compelled to stop in the uphill section. Thus, if change of gear takes place in an uphill section, speed is lost during the change of gear. This may lead to the vehicle behind in the vehicle platoon believing that the vehicle in front is braking. Since the vehicles in a vehicle platoon are located close to each other and each vehicle controls its speed based on how the other vehicles behave, an erroneous selection of a lower gear in an uphill section may lead to many vehicles behind being compelled to brake, and they in turn also losing an unnecessarily large amount of speed in the uphill section. Thus, a chain reaction may arise, due to a disturbance in the form of the
erroneous selection of a gear. The obvious consequence of this is that safety may become a problem and that the fuel consumption may increase due to
unnecessary braking and erroneous choice of gears. For this reason, the choice of correct gear is an important aspect when driving up or down a hill, and a correct decision must be taken if the vehicle in front, in a vehicle platoon, is compelled to change gear.
In the United States patent US-6405120, the choice of transmission gear for the driver's own vehicle is allowed to be controlled by the distance to a vehicle in front, and in the published international patent application WO-2013/006826, there is described a control arrangement for a vehicle platoon that, among other things, specifies recommendations with respect to the choice of gear.
As has been discussed above, vehicle platoons will soon start to become reality, and new strategies for choice of gear must for this reason be investigated, since a vehicle strongly influences neighbouring vehicles in a vehicle platoon.
The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the influence on a vehicle platoon during change of gear and erroneous gear selection by the vehicles in the vehicle platoon, and in this way to reduce fuel consumption and increase safety.
Summary of the invention
The purpose described above is achieved by the invention as it is defined by the independent claims, and preferred embodiments are defined by the dependent claims and described in the detailed description.
By using wireless communication between the vehicles, either vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (V2I), vehicles can inform each other that they are carrying out a change of gear. Unnecessary braking of the neighbouring vehicles is in this way avoided since they have been informed that the change of speed is a consequence of a change of gear.
According to one embodiment, a common driving strategy for the vehicle platoon can be determined based on the properties of each vehicle, which driving strategy takes into consideration the changes of gear that are required to be carried out before, for example, a hill through appropriate optimisation algorithms, such as dynamic programming. Dynamic programming is a general method to solve problems in combinatorial optimisation. By systematically calculating solutions to sub-problems, saving these in an efficient manner, and by allowing all sub- solutions to be calculated by the use of other sub-solutions, it is possible to find efficient algorithms for problems that are otherwise difficult to solve. This means, in the present context, that each vehicle parameter and property, such as maximum engine torque, mass, type of gearbox, etc., is transmitted to an analysis unit in, for example, a calculation centre or in the first vehicle, which carries out the calculations. The optimisation algorithm takes all vehicle properties and the gradient of the road into consideration, and calculates a common optimal driving strategy for the vehicle platoon that is subsequently used to control the vehicles in the vehicle platoon.
Alternatively, each individual vehicle in the vehicle platoon can receive information from the neighbouring vehicles and calculate its own beneficial (optimal) driving strategy based on the predicted behaviour of the neighbouring vehicles. This strategy requires less calculation, but it differs from the common driving strategy in that when calculating the common driving strategy information about all vehicles is weighted and calculated together to calculate the most fuel efficient strategy.
With a common driving strategy for the complete vehicle platoon that takes into consideration the changes of gear, the vehicles can drive closer to each other. Drag and fuel consumption are in this way significantly reduced. The choice of the correct gear leads also in turn to a reduced fuel consumption for each vehicle. The use of a gear that is too high or too low in a hill leads to an increase in the average rate of revolution, which in turn leads to increased fuel consumption. In addition, it will not be possible to maintain the optimal distance between the
vehicles in the vehicle platoon if it is necessary to carry out an unplanned change of gear. This degrades the performance of the vehicle platoon.
Naturally, also the aspects of safety, i.e. the risk of collisions, are improved, since chain reactions and unnecessary braking can be avoided.
A precondition is that the vehicle platoon is controlled according to a common driving strategy. This may be a simple strategy in which the distance between vehicles is held essentially constant. It may be also more advanced strategies, such as one in which each one of the vehicles is driven with a predictive cruise- control system (LAC) or one in which the vehicle platoon is driven with a common predictive cruise-control strategy (LAP). It is a precondition for all of the variants that will now be described that the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are equipped with a positioning unit and a unit for communication.
The invention is based on the fact that a vehicle loses speed during a change of gear. According to the invention, a driving strategy is specified for the control of the vehicles in the vehicle platoon that takes this into consideration, through, for example, local variations in speed being allowed, when, for example, the vehicle changes gear, and that the target values, such as speed target values, in the driving profile have been adapted taking into consideration the reduction in speed that takes place during change of gear.
Through the change of gear profile and with knowledge about the road horizon, it is possible to determine the changes in speed that a given change of gear will give rise to, and when these changes will take place in the road horizon. The target values are corrected such that the driving profile for each vehicle that is a member of the vehicle platoon takes into consideration the changes in speed that the changes of gear cause.
According to a first aspect, the invention comprises a system (4) to control a vehicle platoon that comprises at least one lead vehicle and one additional
vehicle, each of which has a positioning unit (1 ) and a unit (2) for wireless communication. The system (4) comprises a driving profile unit (6) configured to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon along a road horizon for the road ahead of the vehicle, based on the properties of the road horizon, wherein the driving profile contains target values b, for the vehicle fk at positions p, along the road horizon; a change of gear profile unit (8) configured to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on the properties of the road horizon and on the properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains the types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon. Furthermore, the system comprises an analysis unit (7) that is configured to determine a driving strategy for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon based on at least the driving profile and the transmission gear-change profile for the vehicle f^ to generate a driving strategy signal that indicates the driving strategy, and to transmit the driving strategy signal to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy.
According to a second aspect, the invention comprises a method to control a vehicle platoon that comprises at least one lead vehicle and one additional vehicle, each of which has a positioning unit (1 ) and a unit (2) for wireless communication. The method comprises to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon along a road horizon for the road ahead of the vehicle, based on the properties of the road horizon, wherein the driving profile contains target values b, for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon; to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on the properties of the road horizon and on the properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains the types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon. Furthermore, the method comprises the steps to determine a driving strategy for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon based on at least the driving profile and the transmission gear- change profile for the vehicle f^ and to transmit the driving strategy to all vehicles
in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy.
Brief description of the attached drawings
The invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings, of which:
Figure 1 shows an example of a vehicle platoon that is travelling up a hill.
Figure 2 shows an example of a vehicle platoon that is travelling around a bend. Figure 3 shows an example of a vehicle in a vehicle platoon.
Figures 4A-4D show different examples of the design of the system.
Figure 5 shows a flow diagram for the method according to one embodiment of the invention.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention
Definitions
LAC (look-ahead cruise control): a cruise-control system that uses information about the topography of the road ahead, and calculates an optimal driving profile in the form of a speed trajectory for a vehicle. This is also known as a "predictive cruise-control system".
LAP (look-ahead cruise control for platoons): a cooperative cruise-control system that uses information about the topography of the road ahead, and calculates an optimal driving trajectory for all vehicles in a vehicle platoon. This is also known as a "predictive cruise-control system for vehicle platoons". The regulatory strategy is determined by, for example, dynamic programming.
Vk: the speed of vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon with N vehicles.
Dk,k+i - the distance between vehicle fk and the vehicle behind it fk+i in the vehicle platoon.
<¾: the gradient at vehicle fk.
V2V-communication (vehicle-to-vehicle): wireless communication between vehicles, also known as vehicle-to-vehicle communication.
V2l-communication (vehicle-to-infrastructure): wireless communication between vehicles and infrastructure, such as road junctions and computer systems.
Figure 1 shows a vehicle platoon with N heavy vehicles fk that is proceeding with small spaces dk, k+i between the vehicles, proceeding up a hill. The gradient at vehicle fk when it drives over the hill is shown as <¾. Each vehicle fk is equipped with a receiver and a transmitter for wireless signals, partially shown with an aerial. The vehicles fk in the vehicle platoon can thus communicate with each other through V2V-communication, and to infrastructure through V2I- communication. The different vehicles fk have different masses mk. Figure 2 shows a vehicle platoon with N=6 heavy vehicles fk that, similarly to the example shown in Figure 1 , is proceeding with small spaces dk, k+i between the vehicles, but which is, instead, proceeding around a bend. Also in this case is each vehicle fk equipped with a receiver and a transmitter 2 (Figure 3) for wireless signals, and can communicate through V2V-communication and V2I- communication. The bend is shown here with a radius of curvature r.
Each of the vehicle platoons has a lead vehicle, i.e. the first vehicle fi . Each vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon has, for example, a unique vehicle identity and a vehicle platoon identity that is common for the complete vehicle platoon, in order to be able to maintain knowledge of which vehicles are members of the vehicle platoon. Data that are transmitted wirelessly between the vehicles in the vehicle platoon can be tagged with these identities such that the vehicle of origin of the data received can be determined. Figure 3 shows an example of a vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon and illustrates how it may be equipped. The vehicle fk is equipped with a positioning unit 1 that can determine the position of the vehicle fk. The positioning unit 1 may be, for example, configured to receive signals from a global positioning system such as, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System) or GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), for example GLONASS, Galileo or Compass. The positioning unit 1 is configured to generate a positioning signal that contains the position of the vehicle fk, and to transmit this signal to one or several units in the vehicle fk.
The vehicle fk is, as has been mentioned above, equipped also with a unit 2 for wireless communication. The unit 2 is configured to function as receiver and transmitter of wireless signals. The unit 2 can receive at least one of wireless signals from other vehicles and wireless signals from infrastructure around the vehicle fk, and it can transmit at least one of wireless signals to other vehicles and wireless signals to infrastructure around the vehicle fk. The wireless signals can comprise vehicle parameters from other vehicles, for example their mass, torque developed, speed, and also more complex information such as, for example, the currently used driving profile, driving strategy, etc. The wireless signals may contain also information about the surroundings, such as the gradient a of the road, the radius of curvature r, etc. The vehicle fk may be equipped also with one or several detectors 3 in order to detect the surroundings, for example a radar unit, a laser unit, a gradient gauge, etc. These detectors are generally labelled in Figure 3 as a detector unit 3, but they may be constituted by several different detectors located at different locations in the vehicle. The detector unit 3 is configured to determine a parameter, such as a relative distance, speed, gradient, lateral acceleration, rotation, etc., and to generate a detector signal that contains the parameter. The detector unit 3 is further configured to transmit the detector signal to one or several units in the vehicle fk. The vehicle may be equipped also with a map unit that can provide map information about the road ahead. The driver may, for example, specify a final position and the map unit can then, given that it has knowledge of the current position of the vehicle, provide relevant map data about the road ahead between the current position and the final destination. There is also shown in Figure 3 a system 4 that will be described in detail below.
The vehicle fk communicates internally between its various units through, for example, a bus, such as a CAN bus (controller area network), which uses a message-based protocol. Examples of other communication protocols that can be used are TTP (time-triggered protocol), Flexray, etc. Signals and data as described above can in this way be exchanged between various units in the vehicle fk. Signals and data can instead be transferred in a wireless manner, for example, between the various units.
There is also a system 4, fully or partially in the vehicle fk, that will be described below with reference to Figures 4A-4D, which show various examples of the system 4. The dashed lines in the drawings indicate that this is a case of the wireless transfer of data. The system 4 is generally for the purpose of controlling the vehicle platoon, and to establish a common driving strategy for the complete vehicle platoon, based on information about the road ahead. The system 4 thus implements, according to one embodiment, a type of cooperative cruise-control system, an LAP, for the vehicle platoon. The system 4 to is particularly intended to control the vehicle platoon when it drives in any one of hills and bends. By establishing a common driving profile that applies to the complete vehicle platoon, a well organised vehicle platoon is achieved in which consideration is taken of what is best for the complete vehicle platoon when driving in a hill and in a bend, or when driving in a hill or in a bend.
A description is given below for a cooperative cruise-control system (LAP) for the vehicle platoon based on the driving strategy of the individual vehicles, for example a predictive driving strategy LAC. An LAP is a driving strategy in which it is advantageous to consider also the changes in speed to which the changes of gear of the vehicle give rise. These are defined in greater detail by a transmission gear-change profile that will be described below.
The system comprises a change of gear profile unit 8 configured to determine a change of gear profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on the properties of the horizon and on the properties of the particular vehicle. The change of gear profile contains the types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the horizon, where the type of change of gear comprises, for example, the specification of from which gear and to which gear the change of gear concerns.
The system 4 comprises further an analysis unit 7 that is configured to receive a driving profile from a driving profile unit 6 for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle
platoon along a road horizon for the road ahead of the vehicle, wherein the driving profile contains target values b, (such as speed target values v,, acceleration target values a,, or distance target values d,) for the vehicle fk at positions p, along the road horizon.
The analysis unit is further configured to receive a transmission gear-change profile from the change of gear profile unit.
The transmission gear-change profile comprises information about the current and preferably also future changes of gear along the road horizon. Positions of change of gear in the road horizon ahead are determined taking into consideration the properties of the road ahead, such as its gradient, and, for example, the engine power of the vehicle. A time for the change of gear is determined for each change of gear and an associated change in speed caused by the change of gear. To be more specific, the change of gear profile will contain a number of values Avt that represent changes in at least one of speed, distance and acceleration along the road horizon. The change of gear profile is stored in such a manner that the information can be simply mapped to information in the driving profile, i.e.
changes in at least one of speed, distance and acceleration caused by changes of gear, and changes in at least one of speed, distance and acceleration specified in the driving profile can be identified at positions in the road horizon ahead.
The driving profile from the driving profile unit 6 may have been determined by, for example, an existing cruise-control system, such as an LAC or other form of predictive cruise-control system, and passed to the analysis unit 7. The analysis unit 7 is further configured to determine a driving strategy, for example a position- based driving strategy, for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon, based on at least the driving profile for the vehicle fk and on the transmission gear-change profile for the vehicle fk. The term "position-based driving strategy" is generally used to denote a driving strategy in which target values are defined with respect to, for example, the speed that is associated with positions in a road horizon ahead.
Each vehicle in the vehicle platoon is controlled according to the target values that are associated with the positions that the vehicle passes.
The vehicles in the vehicle platoon are subsequently controlled according to the driving strategy. According to one embodiment, the analysis unit 7 is configured to generate a driving strategy signal that indicates the driving strategy, and to transmit the driving strategy signal to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy. According to another embodiment, the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy as this is determined, which will be explained in more detail below. The resulting driving strategy can thus concern either a position-based change of gear, wherein said changes of gear are applied for each one of the vehicles at the position associated with each change of gear, or it may concern a time-based change of gear, whereby all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change gear at the same time.
According to one embodiment, the analysis unit is configured to specify in the driving strategy signal that a vehicle in front is changing gear, and to inform one or several vehicles behind in the vehicle platoon of this, and to specify the position at which the change of gear takes place.
Thus, a driving profile for an individual vehicle fk can be achieved through the use of a previously determined driving profile designed by a predictive cruise-control system located in the vehicle or other external unit. Predictive cruise control is a predictive control plan that has knowledge about some of the disturbances, such as the topography of the road, that lie ahead. An optimisation is carried out with respect to a criterion, which optimisation involves a predicted behaviour of the system. An optimal solution is here sought for the problem along a limited road horizon, which is obtained by truncating the horizon of the complete driving session. The objective of the optimisation is to minimise the energy and the time required for the driving session, while the speed of the vehicle is held within a predetermined interval. The optimisation can be carried out using, for example, MPC (model predictive control) or an LQR (linear quadratic regulator) with respect
to minimising fuel consumption and time in a cost function/ , based on a nonlinear dynamics model and fuel consumption model for the vehicle fk, limitations on the input control signals, and limitations on the maximum absolute deviation, for example 5 km/h, from the speed limit for the road. One example of how such an optimisation can be carried out is described in "Look-ahead control of heavy vehicles", E. Hellstrom, Linkoping University, 2010. A vehicle model that describes the principal forces that influence a vehicle in motion are described in that publication, according to:
The accelerating mass of the vehicle m* (m* »^ *- */- 1/) depends on the gross mass ^ , wheel inertia /«* , engine inertia the gear ratio and efficiency of the gearbox51* and the final gear ratio and efficiency l ' . The predictive cruise-control system LAC increases the speed of the vehicle in advance when approaching a steep uphill section, and thus the vehicle obtains a higher mean speed when the vehicle travels along the steep uphill section. In the same manner, the speed is reduced before the vehicle enters a steep downhill section. Since the speed of the vehicle is allowed to fall to the minimum speed in an uphill section and thus acceleration to recover lost speed is delayed until after the top, i.e. until the road is flat, an improved fuel economy is obtained compared with the case in which the vehicle is to maintain the preset speed vset during the uphill section, since it requires more fuel to maintain the speed in the uphill section than it does to recover the speed after the hill. If the uphill section is
followed by a downhill section, the speed can be maintained at a lower level in the uphill section in order to avoid having to brake in the downhill section as the speed of the vehicle becomes too high, and instead to exploit the potential energy that the vehicle obtains from its weight in the downhill section. Both time and fuel can be saved.
A low gradient of the road K can be described according to
a < a < ¾. (2) where
k.t ioi - k.fvffidi.ij)- fcf'
(4)
¾ is the steepest gradient at which the speed can be maintained in an uphill section with maximum engine torque, and is the steepest gradient in which a heavy vehicle can maintain a constant speed through coasting, without requiring to brake or accelerate. Steep hills are defined as segments of road with a gradient outside of the interval in (2).
According to one embodiment, the system 4 comprises at least one horizon unit 5 and one driving profile unit 6. The horizon unit 5 is configured to determine a road horizon for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon with the aid of positional data and map data for a road ahead, which road horizon contains one or several properties of the road ahead. The road horizon can be divided into several road segments. One property may be, for example, that a road segment in the road horizon is classified as a steep uphill or downhill section with a gradient outside of the interval in (2). The driving profile unit 6 is configured to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on properties of the road horizon, wherein the driving profile contains the target values b, and the associated positions p, for the vehicle fk along the road horizon. The target values bi may be, for example, target speeds v,, target accelerations a,, or target separation distances d,. Thus, the system 4 may be configured to determine
independently one or several driving profiles for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon, by, for example, the driving profile unit 6 determining an optimal driving speed profile in the same manner as the LAC described above. The function of the system 4 may be configured to come into operation when the road demonstrates special properties, such as, for example, a steep gradient or a small radius of curvature (a tight bend). These properties are reflected in the driving profile that is drawn up through the target values b, that have been generated, and also as properties in the road horizon. The vehicles in the vehicle platoon normally obey a road speed limit, also known as a "preset speed" vset, which is the highest speed that the speed limit for the road allows. It may be appropriate on hills, in bends, etc. to change the speed in order to achieve improved fuel economy or to improve or maintain safety. It may be appropriate in a bend to reduce the speed, if the radius of curvature is small . An equation that expresses the maximum vehicle speed that can be used, based on the mass of the vehicle and the radius of curvature of the bend, can be used to calculate the maximum speed of the vehicle in the bend. The LAC calculates optimal target speed values v, at positions p,, and these target speeds v,, can differ from the preset speed vset in order to achieve economic or safe driving, or economic and safe driving. The analysis unit 7 is configured according to one embodiment to compare the target speeds v, with a preset speed vset and to determine a difference Δν between v, and vset- The analysis unit 7 is further configured to compare Δν with a threshold value, and to initiate determination of the position- based driving strategy should Δν exceed the threshold value. The vehicle platoon can in this way be controlled according to the common driving strategy in selected situations or along special road segments, while in other cases the vehicles in the vehicle platoon can be controlled based on their customary driving profiles. When the vehicle platoon in its entirety has left the bend or has reached the top or bottom of the hill, all the vehicles in the vehicle platoon can return to their customary driving profiles.
Figure 4A shows an example of the system 4, where the system 4 is located in the vehicle fk, for example, the lead vehicle fi . The system 4 can in this case be a part of a control unit in the vehicle fi . The system 4 is shown here to comprise a horizon unit 5 and a driving profile unit 6 that provide a driving profile for the vehicle fi to the analysis unit 7 and a change of gear profile unit 8 configured to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on properties of the horizon and on properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains the types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the horizon. Map data and positional are then transmitted through, for example, the internal network in the vehicle fi to the horizon unit 5. Alternatively, an existing LAC in the vehicle fi can provide a driving profile for the vehicle fi to the analysis unit 7. The system 4 may be located instead in an external unit such as, for example, a road junction or a computer system. In this case, positional data, etc. can be transmitted by V2I to the external unit. According to the example that is schematically illustrated in
Figure 4A, the analysis unit 7 determines a driving strategy that states that it is the driving profile for the vehicle fi and the change of gear profile for fi that are the selected driving profile and change of gear profile for the complete vehicle platoon. The driving strategy is passed to the vehicles in the vehicle platoon through a wireless signal. The driving strategy comprises, for example, a message that means that all the vehicles in the vehicle platoon except the lead vehicle are to measure how the vehicle in front of them in the vehicle platoon behaves, and to adapt their own speed accordingly, in order to maintain the distance d,, j between the vehicles. The vehicles can use, for example, radar to determine the speed of the vehicle in front. The vehicles in the vehicle platoon will in this way follow the speed profile of the lead vehicle fi without it being necessary that they are aware of the speed profile themselves.
According to one embodiment, the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are arranged in a certain order, such that the most limited vehicle is located at the front of the vehicle platoon as the lead vehicle fi , and the remaining vehicles are arranged in a descending order such that the least limited vehicle is located at the rear of the
vehicle platoon. It is possible in this manner to ensure that all vehicles in the vehicle platoon can follow the driving profile and change of gear profile of the lead vehicle. The most limited vehicle is, for example, the vehicle that has the greatest mass or at lowest available engine torque, or a combination of both.
According to one embodiment, the analysis unit 7 is configured to receive a driving profile and a change of gear profile for each one of several vehicles in the vehicle platoon. The analysis unit 7 is, according to this embodiment, configured to analyse the driving profiles together with the relevant change of gear profile in order to determine one selected driving profile as position-based driving strategy for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon. The selected driving profile with speed values that have been adjusted according to the speed values of the change of gear profile can subsequently be passed, for example, to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which each individual vehicle in the vehicle platoon will follow the same selected driving profile at the same positions.
Before the driving profile is passed to the vehicles, the positions p, in the driving profile can be mapped to actual positions along the road ahead, such that the vehicles in vehicle platoons can control at least one of their speed according to target speed values v, , their distances according to target distance values, and their accelerations according to target acceleration values, at the same actual positions along the road. The driving profile that is referred to here is a driving profile that has been adjusted with respect to the change of gear profile. This is the case for all embodiments described in this application.
Different ways of determining a selected driving profile are available. The selected driving profile can, for example, be determined to be the driving profile that has been determined for the most limited vehicle in the vehicle platoon and when consideration has been taken to the change of gear profile and the speed values in the change of gear profile. Examples of the most limited vehicle have been described above. The most limited vehicle can also be determined to be the vehicle that has the largest speed fluctuations in its driving profile in and close to,
or in or close to, an approaching hill or curve, or hill and curve. In order to determine which driving profile is thus to become the selected driving profile, the analysis unit 7 is configured to determine a difference Δν for each driving profile that indicates the largest difference between a maximum speed vmax and a minimum speed vmin, to compare the difference Δν for the various driving profiles with each other and to determine a selected driving profile that has the greatest difference Δν based on this comparison. The maximum speed vmax is one of the speed targets v, in the driving profile, and the minimum speed vmin is one of the target speeds v, in the driving profile in and close to, or in or close to, an approaching hill or curve, or hill and curve.
Figure 4B shows an example of the system 4, in which a driving profile and a change of gear profile are determined for each vehicle, in each vehicle fk. The driving profiles and the change of gear profiles are subsequently transmitted to the analysis unit 7 in order to determine a position-based driving strategy based on one selected driving profile. The analysis unit 7 is in this case located in an external unit, and the various driving profiles are transmitted to the analysis unit through V2l-communication. After the analysis unit 7 has determined one selected driving profile, having taken the change of gear profile into consideration, the driving strategy is passed to the vehicles in the vehicle platoon through V2I- communication, thus through one or several wireless signals. The driving strategy comprises, for example, a message that means that all the vehicles in the vehicle platoon except the lead vehicle are to measure how the vehicle in front of them in the vehicle platoon behaves, and to adapt their own speed accordingly, in order to maintain the distance d,, j between the vehicles. The vehicles can use, for example, radar to determine the speed of the vehicle in front. The driving strategy comprises also a message to the lead vehicle fi that it is to follow the selected driving profile, and the actual driving profile, in cases in which it is not already the driving profile of the lead vehicle. The vehicles in the vehicle platoon will in this way come to follow the selected speed profile without themselves needing to be aware which speed profile they are following. Alternatively, the selected driving profile can be passed to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which each
individual vehicle in the vehicle platoon will follow the same selected driving profile.
Figure 4C shows a further example, in which the analysis unit 7 in the system 4 is located in a vehicle, here the lead vehicle fi . As is the case also in the example in Figure 4B, a driving profile and a change of gear profile are determined for each of the vehicles fk. The driving profiles and the change of gear profiles are transmitted by V2V communication to the analysis unit 7 or are passed to the analysis unit 7 in order to determine a position-based driving strategy based on one selected driving profile. After the analysis unit 7 has determined one selected driving profile, the driving strategy is passed to the vehicles in the vehicle platoon through V2V-communication, thus through one or several wireless signals, and it is passed as a message or a signal to the vehicle fk in which the analysis unit 7 is located, in this case fi . The driving strategy can in this case be the same as those in the example that is illustrated in Figure 4B. The vehicles in the vehicle platoon subsequently control their speed according to the selected driving profile.
Figure 4D shows an example of how a position-based strategy can be
sequentially determined. Each vehicle fk is here equipped with an analysis unit 7k, or a part of the analysis unit 7. The final vehicle†N determines its driving profile and change of gear profile, and transmits it to the analysis unit 7N-i in the vehicle that lies immediately in front of it. The vehicle fN-i determines its driving profile and the two driving profiles and change of gear profiles are compared in the analysis unit 7N-i in order to determine which of the driving profiles and change of gear profiles is the most limited. Thus the analysis unit 7 is here configured to sequentially compare differences Δν. The way in which this may be carried out has previously been described. The most limited driving profile, in which consideration has been taken of the change of gear profile, of the two is subsequently transmitted onwards to the next vehicle ΪΝ-2 that lies immediately in front, for continued comparison. After a final comparison in the lead vehicle, a selected driving profile that requires the greatest changes in speed has been determined. The lead vehicle follows this selected driving profile, and the other
vehicles in the vehicle platoon follow the speed of the vehicle immediately in front of them in the vehicle platoon without further communication, through, for example, radar detection, as has been previously explained. As an alternative, the other vehicles in the vehicle platoon can be informed of the same selected driving profile, which they subsequently follow.
The analysis unit 7, the driving profile unit 6, the change of gear profile unit 8 and the horizon unit 5 may be constituted by one or several processor units and one or several memory units. A processor unit may be constituted by a CPU (central processing unit). The memory unit may comprise a transient or a non-transient memory or it may comprise a transient and a non-transient memory, such as flash memory or RAM (random access memory). The processor unit may be a part of a computer or a computer system, for example an ECU (electronic control unit), in a vehicle 2.
Figure 5 shows a flow diagram for a method to control the vehicle platoon that has been described above. The method may be implemented as program code in a computer program P. The program code can cause the system 4 to carry out any one of the steps according to the method when it is run on a processor unit in the system 4. The method will now be explained with reference to the flow diagram in Figure 5. Reference is made also to the description of the system given above; with respect to, among other things, the description and explanation of the predictive driving strategies LAC and LAP. Furthermore, reference is made specifically to the description of what the transmission gear-change profile comprises.
The invention thus concerns also a method to control a vehicle platoon that comprises at least one lead vehicle and one additional vehicle, each of which has a positioning unit and a unit for wireless communication. The method comprises to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon along a road horizon for the road ahead of the vehicle, based on the properties of the road horizon, where the driving profile contains target values b, for the vehicle fk at
positions along the road horizon (A1 ). Furthermore, the method comprises to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on properties of the horizon and on properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the horizon (A2). Based on at least the driving profile and the transmission gear-change profile for the vehicle fk, a driving strategy is determined for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon (A3). Finally, the driving strategy is transmitted to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy (A4).
The driving strategy comprises either a position-based change of gear, whereby said changes of gear are applied for each one of the vehicles at the position associated with each change of gear, or it may concern a time-based change of gear, whereby all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change gear at essentially the same time.
The invention includes also a computer program product comprising the program code P stored on a medium that can be read by a computer in order to carry out the method steps described above. The computer program product may be, for example, a CD disk.
A number of different variants of how the invention can be applied will now be given as examples.
Example 1
The lead vehicle announces in real time that it is going to change gear.
Other vehicles receive this message at the same time and can immediately change gear synchronously with the lead vehicle or change speed in accordance with the change that the lead vehicle carried out in association with the change of gear, or both change gear synchronously with the lead vehicle and change speed in accordance with the change that the lead vehicle carried out in association with
the change of gear. This may be a predetermined change of speed during a predetermined period of time, preferably related to the current speed.
Example 2
The lead vehicle announces in real time that it is going to change gear. The message includes also the position at which the lead vehicle will be located when the change of gear takes place.
Other vehicles receive this message at the same time and can subsequently carry out at least one of the change of gear and the change of speed in accordance with the change that the lead vehicle carried out in association with the change of gear when the other vehicles pass the position at which the change of gear took place. This may be a predetermined change of speed during a predetermined period of time, preferably related to the current speed. Example 3
The lead vehicle is controlled with a predictive cruise-control system (LAC) and other vehicles follow the same driving profile as the lead vehicle. The other vehicles follow the driving profile in a position-based manner, i.e. the same change in speed takes place for each vehicle at a predetermined position.
The lead vehicle determines also a transmission gear-change profile based on a road horizon ahead and properties that are specific for the vehicle. Positions of change of gear in the road horizon ahead are determined taking into consideration the properties of the road ahead, such as its gradient, and, for example, the engine power of the vehicle. A time for the change of gear is determined for each change of gear and an associated change in speed caused by the change of gear. The change of gear profile is subsequently mapped to the driving profile that the LAC has drawn up for same road horizon. To be more specific, the change of gear profile will contain a number of values Avt that represent changes of speed along the road horizon.
During calculation of the target speed values that is carried out by the predictive cruise-control system, consideration is taken also of Avt and the calculated target speed values are subsequently adjusted such that the driving profile maintains the speed within the specified limiting values.
Example 4
The vehicle platoon is driven using a common predictive cruise-control system (LAP), as has been described above. The LAP driving profile has been
determined based on the LAC driving profiles for each vehicle according to calculations that have been described in detail, for example in association with the description of Figure 4A.
Each one of the vehicles calculates in addition a transmission gear-change profile in the same manner as that described above in association with Example 3.
These transmission gear-change profiles are compared with each other. The transmission gear-change profile among the profiles of the vehicle platoon that has most influence on the speed will be chosen to be valid for the complete vehicle platoon, i.e. the vehicle that is the most limited vehicle will be chosen. The most limiting vehicle is, for example, the vehicle that has the greatest mass or at lowest available engine torque, or a combination of both.
This transmission gear-change profile is subsequently mapped to the common driving profile that the LAP cruise-control system has determined and an adjusted driving profile is determined that takes into consideration also changes of gear. This adjusted driving profile, i.e. the driving strategy, is subsequently used to control the vehicles in the vehicle platoon.
Example 5
Each vehicle in the vehicle platoon receives information of the transmission gear- change profile or profiles of one or several vehicles in front that have been determined in the same manner as that described in Example 3, and can
subsequently adapt its own driving profile taking the neighbouring changes of gear of the neighbouring vehicles into consideration.
Example 6
One variant of Example 1 is that each vehicle receives the message about an imminent change of gear from a vehicle in front, and can in this way allow, and take into consideration, the change in speed, and the associated change in distance, that the vehicle in front demonstrates. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents can be used. For this reason, the embodiments named above do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the attached claims.
Claims
1 . A system (4) for controlling a vehicle platoon that comprises at least one lead vehicle and one additional vehicle, each of which has a positioning unit (1 ) and a unit (2) for wireless communication, wherein the system (4) comprises:
- a driving profile unit (6), configured to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon along a road horizon of the road ahead of the vehicle, based on properties of the road horizon, wherein the driving profile contains target values b, for the vehicle fk at positions p, along the road horizon;
- a change of gear profile unit (8) configured to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on properties of the road horizon and on the properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains the types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon,
- an analysis unit (7) that is configured:
- to determine a driving strategy for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon, based on at least the driving profile and the transmission gear- change profile for the vehicle fk;
- to generate a driving strategy signal that indicates the driving strategy, and
- to transmit the driving strategy signal to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said driving strategy comprises position-based change of gear, wherein said changes of gear are applied for each one of the vehicles at a position that is associated with each change of gear.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said driving strategy comprises time-based change of gear, wherein all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change gear at the same time.
4. The system according to any one of claims 1 -3, wherein said driving strategy means that local variations in speed are allowed for individual vehicles in the vehicle platoon when change of gear takes place.
5. The system according to any one of claims 1 -4, wherein said driving strategy is a common cooperative cruise-control strategy for vehicle platoons (LAP).
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the analysis unit is adapted to specify in the driving strategy signal that a vehicle in front is changing gear, and to inform one or several vehicles behind in the vehicle platoon of this, and to specify the position at which the change of gear takes place.
7. The system according to any one of claims 1 -6, wherein the type of change of gear comprises to specify from which gear and to which gear the change of gear concerns.
8. A method for controlling a vehicle platoon that comprises at least one lead vehicle and one additional vehicle, each of which has a positioning unit (1 ) and a unit (2) for wireless communication, wherein the method comprises:
- to determine a driving profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon along a road horizon for the road ahead of the vehicle, based on properties of the road horizon, wherein the driving profile contains target values b, for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon;
- to determine a transmission gear-change profile for at least one vehicle fk in the vehicle platoon based on properties of the horizon and properties of the particular vehicle, wherein the change of gear profile contains types of change of gear for the vehicle fk at positions along the road horizon,
- to determine a driving strategy for the vehicles in the vehicle platoon, based on at least the driving profile and the transmission gear-change profile for the vehicle fk;
- to transmit the driving strategy to all vehicles in the vehicle platoon, after which the vehicles in the vehicle platoon are controlled according to the driving strategy.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said driving strategy comprises position-based change of gear, wherein said changes of gear are applied for each one of the vehicles at a position that is associated with each change of gear.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said driving strategy comprises time-based change of gear, wherein all vehicles in the vehicle platoon change gear at essentially the same time.
1 1 . The method according to any one of claims 8-10, wherein said driving strategy means that local variations in speed are allowed for individual vehicles in the vehicle platoon when change of gear takes place.
12. The method according to any one of claims 8-1 1 , wherein said driving strategy is a common cooperative cruise-control strategy for vehicle platoons (LAP).
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the driving strategy comprises that a vehicle in front informs one or several vehicles behind it in the vehicle platoon that it is changing gear and specifies the position at which change of gear takes place.
14. The method according to any one of claims 8-13, wherein the type of change of gear comprises to specify from which gear and to which gear the change of gear concerns.
15. A computer program (P) at a system (4), where said computer program (P) comprises program code in order to cause the system (4) to carry out any one of the steps according to claims 8-14.
16. A computer program product comprising a program code stored on a medium that can be read by a computer in order to carry out the method steps according to any one of claims 8-14.
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE112014004049T5 (en) | 2016-08-11 |
| SE537482C2 (en) | 2015-05-12 |
| SE1351126A1 (en) | 2015-03-31 |
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