Systems and methods for managing communications between vehicles

A method for managing platoonable vehicles comprising:

• transmitting data packets over a wireless link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
• and
• performing an action in response to receiving:
• (1) less than a threshold amount of data packets per an amount of time over the wireless link;
• (2) data packets at a rate below a threshold rate over the wireless link;
• or (3) data packets with a latency below a threshold latency over the wireless link, wherein the threshold amount of packets and the threshold rate are based at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the packets are safety critical.

A method for managing platoonable vehicles comprising:

• establishing a wireless link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
• attempting to start a draw-in portion of a platooning engagement between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;
• in response to receiving a first amount of packets per an amount of time over the wireless link at a first location, causing a first action to occur including:
• (1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;
• (2) continuing a steady state portion of the platooning engagement;
• (3) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to not start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;
• or
• (4) starting a dissolve portion of the platooning engagement;
• in response to receiving a second amount of packets per an amount of time over the wireless link at a second location, causing a second action to occur including:
• (1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;
• (2) continuing a steady state portion of the platooning engagement;
• (3) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to not start the draw-in period of the platooning engagement;
• or
• (4) starting the dissolve portion of the platooning engagement;
• and wherein the first and second amounts of packets are based at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the packets are safety critical.