On the Impact of V2X-based Maneuver Coordination on the Traffic

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are expected to make use of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication to exchange sensor and trajectory data. Using this data, CAVs can coordinate their maneuvers for safer and more efficient driving. ETSI and SAE are currently working to define standards for maneuver coordination and cooperative driving. The current approach at ETSI is based on a distributed solution where vehicles use Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication to exchange their planned and desired trajectories. This study evaluates the potential benefits of the ETSI Maneuver Coordination Service to improve the traffic speed using a unique simulation tool. To do so, we first evaluate the impact of maneuver coordination on the vehicles involved in a coordination process. We also evaluate the effects of maneuver coordination on the overall traffic compared to scenarios without coordination. Our study shows that maneuver coordination can yield significant benefits to traffic mobility, however these improvements are intimately linked to the surrounding traffic environment and the specifications of the coordinated maneuver. This highlights the need for more detailed studies on the design of maneuver coordination protocols that should consider the vehicular context when executing and configuring the coordination process.