An architecture for collaborative driving systems

Vehicle automation has progressed from systems that monitor the operation of a vehicle and assist a driver, with functions such as antilock braking and cruise control, to systems that detect the operation of adjacent vehicles, to implement emergency braking and intelligent cruise control. The next generation of systems will share sensor readings and collaborate to control braking operations by looking several cars ahead or by creating safe gaps for merging vehicles. The rules that control the interaction between automobiles are protocols.