Improving Transient Performance of Automated Convoy Vehicles using Command Shaping

This paper documents the effectiveness of command shaping techniques on the vehicle spacing and velocity control of automated vehicle convoys. The control approach is based only on distance measurements between platoon vehicles. The lead vehicle longitudinal control is developed to follow a reference velocity. The follower vehicles maintain the desired spacing using distance measurements to the preceding and following vehicles. When a command shaper is used to modify the reference velocity, errors in vehicle spacing are reduced. This approach leads to more physically realizable controller efforts for the follower vehicles and helps maintain and improve string stability.