Decentralized Dynamic Platooning Architecture with V2V Communication Tested in Omnet++

An open question in platooning is the appropriate selection of the inter-vehicle distance: shorter distances reduce energy, but increase network demands, which have to be satisfied to guarantee safety. Even once determined appropriately, inter-vehicle distances need to adapt for varying traffic scenarios and heterogeneous platoons. Therefore, we introduce a new architecture that puts dynamic distances into effect and manages platoons in a decentralized way to maintain safety and robustness by considering network reliability, environmental, and vehicular constraints. Smooth trajectory planning allows energy efficient and comfortable adaptation of distances between vehicles. The presented architecture is tested using Omnet++ and SUMO in a highway entry and an emergency braking scenario.