IMPROVING

Multi-agent model predictive control for vehicle platooning

Financed by The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI), project number PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-0970, Human Resources Programme, Research projects for independent young research teams, Period: 10.2015-09.2017

Team members:

  • Constantin-Florin Caruntu, Grant director
  • Florin-Catalin Braescu, member, postdoctoral researcher
  • Anca Maxim, member, doctoral student
  • Razvan-Corneliu Rafaila, member, doctoral student
  • Alexandru Tiganasu, member, doctoral student

Abstract:

The research on smarter transport systems for safer roads has a major strategic relevance for the European industry, this being one of the priorities expressed clearly in H2020 intelligent transport systems (ITS), while vehicle platooning is the solution to the stringent problems that appear on existing highways and city roads. The main goal of this project is to create a general framework to model and control the cooperative vehicles in a platoon considered as a multi-agent system. The framework will include wireless communications induced imperfections, hardware/computational constraints and drive disturbances even from the design phase of the controller to improve safety, to reduce fuel consumption, to increase road capacity and decrease the emissions. The inter-disciplinary perspective adopted by this study is aimed at contributing to the development of new modeling frameworks and highly advanced control strategies based on multi-agent systems in application areas that are characterized by distributed environments.

Ojectives:

The fulfillment of the main goal stated for the project relies on a set of specific objectives that aim at solving the problems arising in vehicle platooning, due to networking, hardware and plant constraints and drive disturbances (weather conditions and road configuration):

  • Objective 1: modeling framework for distributed vehicle platoons which is able to include the couplings between the vehicles and the wireless communication and hardware/ computational constraints: starting from the existing techniques of modeling network-induced time-varying delays using polytopic approximations or as disturbances, the effect of the delays will be translated into polyhedral partitions of the state-space; moreover, the hardware/computational constraints will be translated into polyhedral partitions of the state-space; furthermore, the two methods will be integrated so as to obtain a realistic model of the vehicle platoon with vehicle couplings, time-varying delays and hardware/computational constraints;
  • Objective 2: developing framework for agent-based distributed predictive controllers which are able to use the modeling framework from the first objective and to take into account the weather conditions (e.g., driving on dry, wet or icy roads) and road configuration (e.g, driving uphill or downhill); yields predictive control laws based on PLFs which will be tested in a simulation environment developed in Matlab for cooperative vehicle platoons;
  • Objective 3: development of real-time software for implementing the designed agent-based distributed predictive control algorithms on embedded systems which will be experimentally tested on a lab-scale vehicle platoon (platoon of mobile robots); a performance analysis and comparison with state-of-art platoon controllers will also be performed.

Working plan:

Work Package 1 (WP1): Develop a realistic distributed model for vehicle platoons

Task 1.1. Select the most recent models for vehicle platoons and develop a new distributed model which emphasizes the couplings between the vehicles

Task 1.2. Model the network-induced time-varying delays by using polytopic approximations or as disturbances in order to translate the effect of the delays into polyhedral state-space partitions

Task 1.3. Model the hardware constraints by translating them into polyhedral state-space partitions

Task 1.4. Integrate optimally all these models into a realistic distributed model for vehicle platoons

Task 1.5. Analyze the full model for control purposes

Deliverable 1: a report with the description of the delay and constraints model.

Deliverable 2: a report with the description of the full model.

Milestone 1: delay model and constraints model.

Milestone 2: full model for control purposes.

Work Package 2 (WP2): Develop agent-based predictive control strategies

Task 2.1. Develop agent-based predictive control strategies based on PLFs relying on the realistic distributed model developed in Work Package 1 and considering the drive disturbances

Task 2.2. Develop Matlab emulators for cooperating vehicle platoons

Task 2.3. Verify the string stability of the multi-agent based cooperating vehicle platoon

Task 2.4. Analyze the agent-based predictive control strategy

Deliverable 3: a report with the description of the agent-based predictive control strategy.

Deliverable 4: Matlab emulator for vehicle platoons.

Deliverable 5: string stability analysis of the cooperating vehicle platoon.

Milestone 3: availability of the Matlab emulators for cooperating vehicle platoons.

Work Package 3 (WP3): Real-time implementation and performance analysis

Task 3.1. Development of real-time software for implementing the designed agent-based distributed predictive control algorithms on embedded systems

Task 3.2. Test the distributed predictive control strategy developed on a lab-scale vehicle platoon

Task 3.3. Performance analysis of the real-time agent-based predictive control algorithm and comparison with state-of-art platoon controllers

Deliverable 6: a report with the description of the real-time software.

Deliverable 7: a report with the description of the real-time lab-scale environment and the experimental results with performance analysis and comparisons.

Milestone 4: availability of the agent-based predictive controller for cooperative vehicle platoons.

Publications:

Braescu F.C., Basic control algorithms for vehicle platooning prototype model car, 21st International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 180-185, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8107031

 

Caruntu C.F. and R.C. Rafaila, Robust MPC for networked control systems with data-packet dropouts modeled as disturbances, 21st International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 152-157, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8107026

 

Maxim A., C.F. Caruntu and C. Lazar, Cruise and headway control for vehicle platooning using a distributed model predictive control algorithm, 21st International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 146-151, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8107025

 

Caruntu C.F., C. Copot and C. Lazar, Wireless vehicle-to-infrastructure data gathering for robot platooning, 25th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation, Valletta, Malta, pp. 1083-1088, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7984262

 

Caruntu C.F., C. Lazar and A. Vargas, Chance-constrained model predictive control for vehicle drivetrains in a cyber-physical framework, 23rd ICE/IEEE International Technology Management Conference, Madeira Island, Portugal, pp. 1137-1144, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8280009

 

Tiganasu A., C. Lazar and C.F. Caruntu, Cyber Physical Systems – oriented design of cooperative control for vehicle platooning, 21st International Conference on Control Systems and Computer Science, 6th International Workshop on Cyber Physical Systems, Bucuresti, Romania, pp. 465-470, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7968600

 

Caruntu C.F. and F.C. Braescu, Further analysis on network-induced time-varying delay modeling methods used in GPC design, International Conference on Optimization of Electrical and Electronic Equipment & International Aegean Conference on Electrical Machines and Power Electronics, Brasov, Romania, pp. 893-898, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7975083

 

Braescu F.C. and C.F. Caruntu, Prototype model car design for vehicle platooning, International Conference on Optimization of Electrical and Electronic Equipment & International Aegean Conference on Electrical Machines and Power Electronics, Brasov, Romania, pp. 953-958, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7975093

 

Rafaila R.C. and G. Livint, H-Infinity control of automatic vehicle steering, 9th International Conference and Exposition on Electrical and Power Engineering, Iasi, Romania, pp. 31-36, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7781297

 

Caruntu C.F., F.C. Braescu, A. Maxim, R.C. Rafaila and A. Tiganasu, Distributed model predictive control for vehicle platooning: a brief survey, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 644-650, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790739

 

Maxim A., C.F. Caruntu and C. Lazar, Distributed model predictive control algorithm for vehicle platooning, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 657-662, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790741

 

Rafaila R.C., C.F. Caruntu and G. Livint, Centralized model predictive control of autonomous driving vehicles with Lyapunov stability, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 663-668, 2016.  (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790742

 

Tiganasu A., C. Lazar and C.F. Caruntu, Design and simulation evaluation of cooperative adaptive cruise control for a platoon of vehicles, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 669-674, 2016.  (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790743

 

Copot C., C.F. Caruntu and R. De Keyser, Advanced control techniques to mitigate the stop-and-go waves on a highway traffic with different vehicles, 21st International Conference on Methods and Models in Automation and Robotics, Miedzyzdroje, Poland, pp. 948-953, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7575265

 

Rafaila R.C., G. Livint and F.A. Rusu, Multivariable nonlinear predictive control of autonomous vehicle dynamics, 13th International Conference on Development and Application Systems, Suceava, Romania, pp. 97-102, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7492555

 

Maxim A., C.M. Ionescu, C.F. Caruntu, C. Lazar and R. De Keyser, Reference tracking using a non-cooperative distributed model predictive control algorithm, 11th IFAC Symposium on Dynamics and Control of Process Systems, including Biosystems, Trondheim, Norway, pp. 1079-1084, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405896316305535

 

Rafaila R.C., C.F. Caruntu and G. Livint, Nonlinear model predictive control using Lyapunov functions for vehicle lateral dynamics, 14th IFAC Symposium on Control in Transportation Systems, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 135-140, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405896316302191

 

Other relevant publications:

Braescu F.C., Basic control algorithms for vehicle platooning prototype model car, 21st International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 180-185, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8107031

 

Caruntu C.F. and R.C. Rafaila, Robust MPC for networked control systems with data-packet dropouts modeled as disturbances, 21st International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 152-157, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8107026

 

Maxim A., C.F. Caruntu and C. Lazar, Cruise and headway control for vehicle platooning using a distributed model predictive control algorithm, 21st International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 146-151, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8107025

 

Caruntu C.F., C. Copot and C. Lazar, Wireless vehicle-to-infrastructure data gathering for robot platooning, 25th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation, Valletta, Malta, pp. 1083-1088, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7984262

 

Caruntu C.F., C. Lazar and A. Vargas, Chance-constrained model predictive control for vehicle drivetrains in a cyber-physical framework, 23rd ICE/IEEE International Technology Management Conference, Madeira Island, Portugal, pp. 1137-1144, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8280009

 

Tiganasu A., C. Lazar and C.F. Caruntu, Cyber Physical Systems – oriented design of cooperative control for vehicle platooning, 21st International Conference on Control Systems and Computer Science, 6th International Workshop on Cyber Physical Systems, Bucuresti, Romania, pp. 465-470, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7968600

 

Caruntu C.F. and F.C. Braescu, Further analysis on network-induced time-varying delay modeling methods used in GPC design, International Conference on Optimization of Electrical and Electronic Equipment & International Aegean Conference on Electrical Machines and Power Electronics, Brasov, Romania, pp. 893-898, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7975083

 

Braescu F.C. and C.F. Caruntu, Prototype model car design for vehicle platooning, International Conference on Optimization of Electrical and Electronic Equipment & International Aegean Conference on Electrical Machines and Power Electronics, Brasov, Romania, pp. 953-958, 2017. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7975093

 

Rafaila R.C. and G. Livint, H-Infinity control of automatic vehicle steering, 9th International Conference and Exposition on Electrical and Power Engineering, Iasi, Romania, pp. 31-36, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7781297

 

Caruntu C.F., F.C. Braescu, A. Maxim, R.C. Rafaila and A. Tiganasu, Distributed model predictive control for vehicle platooning: a brief survey, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 644-650, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790739

 

Maxim A., C.F. Caruntu and C. Lazar, Distributed model predictive control algorithm for vehicle platooning, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 657-662, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790741

 

Rafaila R.C., C.F. Caruntu and G. Livint, Centralized model predictive control of autonomous driving vehicles with Lyapunov stability, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 663-668, 2016.  (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790742

 

Tiganasu A., C. Lazar and C.F. Caruntu, Design and simulation evaluation of cooperative adaptive cruise control for a platoon of vehicles, 20th International Conference on System Theory, Control and Computing, Sinaia, Romania, pp. 669-674, 2016.  (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7790743

 

Copot C., C.F. Caruntu and R. De Keyser, Advanced control techniques to mitigate the stop-and-go waves on a highway traffic with different vehicles, 21st International Conference on Methods and Models in Automation and Robotics, Miedzyzdroje, Poland, pp. 948-953, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7575265

 

Rafaila R.C., G. Livint and F.A. Rusu, Multivariable nonlinear predictive control of autonomous vehicle dynamics, 13th International Conference on Development and Application Systems, Suceava, Romania, pp. 97-102, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7492555

 

Maxim A., C.M. Ionescu, C.F. Caruntu, C. Lazar and R. De Keyser, Reference tracking using a non-cooperative distributed model predictive control algorithm, 11th IFAC Symposium on Dynamics and Control of Process Systems, including Biosystems, Trondheim, Norway, pp. 1079-1084, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405896316305535

 

Rafaila R.C., C.F. Caruntu and G. Livint, Nonlinear model predictive control using Lyapunov functions for vehicle lateral dynamics, 14th IFAC Symposium on Control in Transportation Systems, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 135-140, 2016. (ISI proceedings)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405896316302191

Scientific reports:

  • Scientific report for 2015: SR2015
  • Scientific report for 2016: SR2016
  • Synthetic scientific report for 2015-2017: SR2015-2017

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