Using the LQI2R Control Method on the Adaptive Cruise Control System for a Platoon of Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles refer to vehicles whose operations and actuations are directed towards fully controlled. However, we need a long transition period where drivers of vehicles with different levels of partial automation will be responsible for the driving function. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is one of the key subsystems of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems that have attracted considerable research and development efforts due to their multifaceted advantages such as increasing the urban arterial capacity, improve traffic safety with shorter inter-vehicle spacing between vehicles [1], [2]. This study proposes a Linear Quadratic Integral Regulator with double integrator (LQI
²
R) for ACC technology in a platoon by using radars. An important criterion in ACC controller design is string stability which is analyzed by using a frequency-domain approach and Nyquist diagram within considering the different values of the constant headway time. The main purpose of platoon control is to keep the desired inter-vehicle distance while guaranteeing string stability requirements. The numerical simulations are carried out to validate the effectiveness of our results.