Networked communications over a lab-scale test bench for autonomous highway systems

This paper considers firstly the development and deployment of the infrastructure to emulate and to verify the behavior of stop-and-go waves present on highways based on mOway mobile robots. Secondly, the paper illustrates the way to find a solution to mitigate the stop-and-go waves, by implementing and testing in simulation and in real-time different control strategies. Radio Frequency communications and how they are handled in both ends are the keys in this networked implementation. Studying the appearance of stop-and-go waves and their relationship with the communication issues allows to understand the waves dynamics and, therefore, to develop a suitable traffic control strategy.