MPC-based Eco-Platooning for Homogeneous Connected Trucks Under Different Communication Topologies

Advances in connected automated technology allow for more efficient driving in heavy-duty transportation. By well coordinating the longitudinal movements of multiple vehicles driving in a string, eco-platooning control can significantly improve the driving comfort and fuel economy. Moreover, benefitting from the short following distances of the platoon members, the aerodynamic effects are believed to further reduce the overall energy consumption in heavy-duty applications. In this paper, we develop an aerodynamically aware cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) strategy based on nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC). The proposed strategy is implemented under different communication topologies: 1) predecessor following (PF), 2) leader following (LF), and 3) predecessor-leader following (PLF). The performance of three communication topologies is evaluated through several indexes, and the simulation results indicate that when the information of the platoon leader is broadcast to the other platoon members, resulting in a so-called LF or PLF topology, the string stability would be guaranteed, and the proposed strategy can improve the driving comfort of all three trucks by eliminating unnecessary accelerations. On the other hand, a remarkable decrement on demanded power can be derived due to the effect of air-drag reduction.