Autonomous convoying technique for vehicles

摘要

A method of autonomously convoying vehicles traveling along a route with a leader vehicle being in communication with at least one follower vehicle. The at least one follower vehicle receives a communication relating to a target offset position and route data. Tracking data is generated and derived from on-board sensing devices of the at least one follower vehicle that includes a traveled path of the leader vehicle sensed by the at least one follower vehicle. The route data is compared to the tracking data for identifying accuracy between the route data relative to the tracking data. An adjusted target offset position and a set of trajectory points that provides a trajectory path of travel from a current position of the at least one follower vehicle to the adjusted target offset position are determined based on the accuracy between the route data and the tracking data.

主权项

1. A method for autonomously convoying vehicles traveling along a route with a leader vehicle being in communication with at least one follower vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
the at least one follower vehicle receiving a communication from the leader vehicle relating to a target offset position and route data, the target offset position dictated by the leader vehicle establishing a dictated convoy formation between the leader vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle by identifying a target position of the at least one follower vehicle relative to the leader vehicle, and the route data including a path history and predicted path of the leader vehicle, the route data further including a global position and a GPS solution of the leader vehicle; generating tracking data derived from on-board sensing devices of the at least one follower vehicle, wherein the tracking data includes a traveled path of the leader vehicle sensed by the at least one follower vehicle; identifying whether a position of the leader vehicle as determined by both the route data and the tracking data is substantially at a same location by determining an accuracy between the route data relative to the tracking data; determining an adjusted target offset position and a set of trajectory points that provides a trajectory path of travel from a current position of the at least one follower vehicle to the adjusted target offset position based on the accuracy between the route data and the tracking data; and the at least one follower vehicle generating control signals for autonomously transitioning the at least one follower vehicle along the set of trajectory points to the adjusted target offset position to maintain the dictated convoy formation between the leader vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle.