DEVICES SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VEHICLE MONITORING AND PLATOONING

摘要

Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking to form a platoon, in a convenient, safe manner and thus to save significant amounts of fuel while increasing safety. In an embodiment, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration/deceleration, and speed. Various data is supplied by the vehicle's onboard systems to a Network Operations Center, and, in some embodiments, suggestions of vehicles for platooning are received from the NOC based on travel forecasts and an analysis of the relevant roadways to identify platoonable roadway segments. The NOC can also provide traffic, roadway, weather or system updates as well as various instructions. In some embodiments, a mesh network capability is provided for ensuring improved communication among vehicles and with the NOC.