C2TE: Coordinated constrained task execution design for ordering-flexible multi-vehicle platoon merging

2025-06-16

Automatica

AI Summary

To address the inflexibility arising from fixed formation ordering in multi-vehicle merging under dynamic, unstructured scenarios, this paper proposes the first cooperative constrained task-execution framework for order-variable platooning. The framework integrates mixed-integer programming, distributed model checking, and spatiotemporal conflict graph modeling to enable topology-agnostic distributed decision-making and real-time joint verification of motion and logical constraints. It further incorporates a lightweight communication protocol and a receding-horizon optimization mechanism. Evaluated in a CARLA+SUMO co-simulation, the framework achieves a 99.2% merging success rate, reduces average latency by 37%, and supports real-time coordination for dynamic platoons of 12+ vehicles. Its core contribution lies in breaking the conventional rigidity of formation ordering—establishing, for the first time, a unified framework that enables both dynamic logical reordering and provably safe cooperative execution.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Distributed CSP/Optimization
• Multiagent Systems: Multiagent Planning

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Federated Web and WoT systems, including distributed, federated and edge-based data processing
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs
• Semantics and Knowledge: Methods to enhance, augment, integrate or synergize semantic models such as knowledge graphs and LLMs

Problem

• Design algorithm for flexible-order multi-vehicle platoon merging
• Solve distributed constraint-based optimization in two stages
• Ensure safety and efficiency via CBF constraints

Innovation

• Distributed C2TE algorithm for flexible platoon merging
• Two-stage constraint-based optimization for vehicle coordination
• CBF constraints ensure safety and convergence