Intelligent Autonomous Convoy Control

Abstract

A convoy of trucks can save fuel by drafting, following at small vehicle separations. Autonomous vehicles can follow much closer than human driven vehicles, in the sub meter spacing. A problem with this is that it can create a moving wall that blocks other traffic. For example, a convoy in the right lane of a two-lane highway could block a car in the left lane from exiting. If there was sufficient space in between the convoying trucks, the car could merge in between two trucks and then exit. Unfortunately, this larger spacing diminishes the benefits of drafting. The present invention involves a system for convoying autonomous vehicles that changes separation distances depending on the behavior of the surrounding autonomous vehicles comprising two or more autonomous systems, a set of sensors that allows it to sense its environments, other autonomous vehicles, their position, and their velocities and a control system that uses the location of the surrounding autonomous vehicles to adjust the convoy distance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.