Cooperative Intersection Negotiation for Multiple Autonomous Platoons

This paper presents a strategy for autonomously resolving intersection contention between platoons of autonomous vehicles. Each member of a platoon is represented by a dynamic model and a path tracking controller as well as a vehicle gap controller. These models and controllers are incorporated in simulation environments. Multiple vehicles in convoys simultaneously arriving at an intersection are simulated to ensure an optimized intersection negotiation taking into account a raft of widely varying requirements that exist in a public transport environments. A set of concepts such as initiative, infrastructure adaptation, and priority propagation are introduced and used to promote globally and locally optimal crossing patterns, avoiding vehicle stoppage in most circumstances. Results from a multiple convoy dynamic model simulation validate the strategy presented.