Communication device, first radio node, second radio node, and methods therein, for determining whether to allow a first vehicle to overtake a vehicle platoon

A communication device configured to determine whether to allow a first vehicle to overtake a vehicle platoon comprising two or more second vehicles, wherein the communication device is external to the first vehicle and the vehicle platoon, the communication device comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the communication device to:
• obtain information about the first vehicle, when the first vehicle is within a first distance behind the vehicle platoon,
• determine whether to allow the first vehicle to overtake the vehicle platoon based on the obtained information,
• provide, based on a result of the determining, a first indication to at least one of:
• a) a first radio node in the first vehicle, and b) a second radio node in one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon,
• wherein the first indication is a request for at least one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon to create a space for overtaking in the vehicle platoon for the first vehicle, the space being based on the obtained information;
• obtain a second indication that the space has been created, from at least one of:
• a) the second radio node and b) a third radio node in one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon;
• and
• provide, as a fifth indication, an instruction for the at least the one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon to close the created space, the fifth indication provided to at least one of:
• i) the second radio node and ii) the third radio node in one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon.

A method performed by a second radio node in a second vehicle operating in a vehicle platoon comprising two or more second vehicles, the method comprising:

• obtaining a first indication from a communication device, wherein the first indication is a request for at least one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon to create a space for overtaking in the vehicle platoon for a first vehicle, wherein the communication device is external to the first vehicle and the vehicle platoon;
• and
• providing the obtained first indication to a third radio node in one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon;
• obtaining a second indication that the space has been created, wherein the second indication is obtained from at least one of the following:
• the third radio node, and a fourth radio node in a further one of the second vehicles;
• providing the second indication to the communication device;
• and
• obtaining, from the communication device as a fifth indication, an instruction for the at least the one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon to close the created space.

A second radio node configured to be located in a second vehicle operating in a vehicle platoon comprising two or more second vehicles, the second radio node comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the second radio node to:
• obtain a first indication from a communication device, wherein the first indication is a request for at least one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon to create a space for overtaking in the vehicle platoon for a first vehicle,
• wherein the communication device is external to the first vehicle and the vehicle platoon;
• and
• provide the obtained first indication to a third radio node in one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon;
• obtain a second indication that the space has been created, wherein the second indication is obtained from at least one of the following:
• the third radio node, and a fourth radio node in a further one of the second vehicles;
• provide the second indication to the communication device;
• and
• obtain, from the communication device as a fifth indication, an instruction for the at least the one of the second vehicles in the vehicle platoon to close the created space.