Longitudinal and lateral control methods from single vehicle to autonomous platoon

To successfully implement the platoon control of connected and automated vehicles, it is necessary to address motion control issues to achieve longitudinal and lateral collaborative control. However, due to traffic capacity limitations and the complex traffic environment in which autonomous and human-driven vehicles coexist, autonomous platoon faces significant risks and challenges. This paper investigates longitudinal and lateral control issues from the perspective of a single vehicle up to a platoon, simulating the performance and suitability of various controllers. First, a longitudinal controller based on fuzzy logic and PID control is employed for speed tracking control of a single vehicle, followed by the adoption of an MPC controller based on the vehicle kinematics model to realize the lateral motion of a single vehicle. Second, the communication methods of the autonomous platoon are discussed, and the longitudinal controller that considers the platoon's various communication topologies is developed. Thirdly, a framework for robust integrated motion control is established, which combines the robust H-infinity longitudinal controller and the APF-based MPC lateral controller. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the aforementioned controllers and reveal their limitations.