CPS: Small: The Roles of Communications in Lane Merging Systems

当前这一代的汽车使用传感器和计算机来帮助驾驶员避免事故。下一步是利用汽车之间的通信来提高传感器测量的准确性，并在车辆之间协商机动。其目标是提高安全性和增加道路的通行能力。随着系统的发展，不同的车辆将具有不同的能力。车辆之间的通信不可靠。而且，算法很复杂，失败可能是致命的。今年，由于控制系统有问题，汽车被大规模召回。在这个项目中，我们将：1)研究通信在车辆控制中扮演的各种角色，以及通信对控制的限制。2)建立指标，从性能、公平性和安全性等多个维度量化网络物理系统的性能。3)保证系统安全运行的测试策略。我们正在通过分析和模拟一个系统来测试我们的技术，该系统可以控制高速公路合并、收费、施工或事故现场发生的多车道合并。例如，在开往纽约的乔治华盛顿大桥的低处，10车道合并为3车道。早高峰期间的延误时间从20分钟到90分钟不等，而且大多数日子都有事故发生。辅助车道合并可以减少这些危险地点的事故和延误。这些系统是协同驾驶应用中最具技术挑战性的。除了控制车速、刹车和单个车辆的机动外，它们还需要车辆之间的合作和规划。

The current generation of automobiles uses sensors and computers to assist the driver to avoid accidents. The next step is to use communications between automobiles to improve the accuracy of sensor measurements and negotiate maneuvers between vehicles. The objective is to improve safety and increase the capacity of roadways.As the systems evolve, different vehicles will have different capabilities. The communications between vehicles is unreliable. And, the algorithms are complex and failures can be fatal. This year there have been massive recalls of vehicles with faulty control systems.In this project, we are: 1) Investigating a variety of roles that communications can play in vehicle control, and the limitations that communications imposes on control. 2) Establishing metrics to quantify the performance of cyber-physical systems in several dimensions, including performance, fairness and safety. 3) Testing strategies to guarantee that the systems can be operated safely.We are testing our techniques by analyzing and simulating a system that controls multiple lane merges that occur when highways merge, following tolls, and at construction or accident sites. For instance, at the lower level of the New York bound George Washington Bridge, 10 lanes merge to 3. The delays during the morning rush range from 20 to 90 minutes, and there are accidents most days. Assisted lane merging can reduce accidents and delays at these dangerous locations. These systems are the most technically challenging of the collaborative driving applications. They require cooperation and planning between vehicles in addition to controlling the speed, braking and maneuvers of the individual vehicles.