A Merging Control Algorithm of Automated Vehicles Based on Inter-Vehicle Communications

This paper deals with a merging control of vehicles with inter-vehicle communications, which would greatly contribute to increase safety and decrease traffic congestion. Algorithms for merging control of vehicles using a concept of a virtual vehicle and for inter-vehicle communications for the control of platoons are presented. A virtual vehicle is generated by mapping a vehicle on a lane into another lane, in order to enable longitudinal control between vehicles to make smooth merging. The inter-vehicle communications are needed to make a virtual vehicle before merging and to control vehicles during merging. The inter-vehicle communications consist of inter-platoon communications and intra-platoon communications. An algorithm of intra-platoon communications using ring-network is presented. The results of a simulation study and an indoor experiment show the feasibility of the merging control using the inter-vehicle communications.