Date of Award:

5-2013

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

YangQuan Chen

Committee

YangQuan Chen

Committee

Donald Cripps

Committee

Hunter Wu

Abstract

This research focuses on a concept called “cognitive vehicle platooning.” A group of vehicles, either of the same type or different, following one another at highway speeds, coupled together by wireless communication is vehicle platooning. With this technology, passengers can comfortably enjoy their rides without having to drive their cars, as the cars will drive themselves. This automatic car driving is an advanced form of cruise control. These cars will run on dedicated lanes on highways. The leader of the platoon communicates wirelessly to its followers, its position, velocity, and acceleration information. Using this data, the followers will have a control algorithm that computes the position, velocity, and acceleration information necessary for them to keep safe distances between each other, at the same time, follow the lead vehicle’s speed. Each vehicle preceding the leader communicates wirelessly with the leader as well as the immediate preceding vehicle. This constitutes two control systems, “lateral control (steering)” and “longitudinal control (inter-vehicular spacing control).” Such a technology, if introduced on existing highways, will lead to passenger comfort, reduced fuel consumption, less time needed to travel, reduced traffic congestions, and increased highway capacity. In addition to this introduction of automatic control into vehicles, these vehicles will be electric vehicles and will be wirelessly charged by magnetic pads buried under the roadways, while in motion. This concept is called “automated electric transportation.”

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Comments

This work made publicly available electronically on December 21, 2012.

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