Finite-Time Stabilization of a Collection of Connected Vehicles Subject to Communication Interruptions

Abstract

This paper investigates a platooning problem of connected vehicles subject to communication interruptions and latency. For a heterogeneous platoon of vehicles, a hybrid reference model with cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) and adaptive cruise control (ACC) is established. Then a novel CACC-ACC switching control method is suggested, which activates either a CACC scheme or an augmented ACC strategy depending on the status of communications. By introducing a platoon state tracking error system, a control algorithm is derived using finite-time sliding-mode control theory, which can robustly guarantee string stability and zero steady-state spacing error of the vehicular platoon. Simulations have shown the effectiveness and superiority of the method.