Autonomous vehicle platoons are a promising solution to road safety, efficient road utilization, emission reduction, among other problems facing today’s transportation industry. However, consistently maintaining the desired inter-vehicle distance is one of the major problems facing autonomous vehicle platoons. In this study, we propose a proportional–integral–derivative (PID)-based cost-efficient algorithm to control the longitudinal inter-vehicle distance between successive members of an autonomous vehicle platoon. In our approach, calculations of the control algorithm are decentralized, and the data used in the control algorithm is obtained using one sensor per platoon member making the algorithm cost-efficient both computationally and financially. The proposed algorithm was implemented using the Robot Operating System (ROS) and applied to 3D vehicle models in simulations designed to mimic the natural environment in order to demonstrate and evaluate the suitability of the proposed algorithm for demanding and applicable scenarios. We performed meticulous simulations using the ROS framework in conjunction with the gazebo platform. In the proposed approach, the desired inter-vehicle distance between platoon members was successfully kept with a maximum absolute error of 5 m under any given scenario at any given time while maintaining platoon formation and ensuring that no collisions occur among platoon members.
In this study, a novel multi-tier framework is proposed for randomly deployed WMSNs. Low cost directional Passive Infrared Sensors (PIR sensors) are randomly deployed across a Region of Interest (RoI), which are activated according to the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm proposed for coverage optimization. The proposed DE and the Genetic Algorithms are applied to optimize the coverage maximization using minimum sensors. Results obtained using the two approaches are tested and compared. Only the scalar sensors that are yielded by the coverage optimization process are kept active throughout the network lifetime while the multimedia sensors are kept in silent. When an event is detected by a scalar sensor, the corresponding multimedia sensor(s), in whose effective coverage field of view (FoV) that the target falls, is then activated to capture the event (target point/scene). The analysis of the network total energy expenditure and a comparison of the proposed framework to current approaches and frameworks is made. Simulation results show that the proposed architecture achieves a remarkable network lifetime prolongation while extending the coverage area.
The number of vehicles on the roads worldwide grows annually. With the increase in the population of on-road vehicles comes the increase in traffic-related problems such as emissions, traffic accidents, traffic jams, and increased fuel consumption, to mention but a few. The field of robotics presents the autonomous robotic platooning concept, which presents a very promising future for the transportation industry in general and intelligent transportation industry, in particular. With autonomous platooning, efficient road usage, reduced fuel consumption and emission are possible. This promising field, however, faces issues and challenges barring the deployment of autonomous platoons. In this chapter, the authors introduce the user to the concept of autonomous platooning, present the current state-of-the-art of autonomous robotic platoons and issues that they still face, and ultimately, discuss their progress and future trends.
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