2013 年 49 巻 7 号 p. 678-687
We compare a proposed ecological vehicle platooning control system using centralized model predictive control with other platooning control systems from the point of fuel economy. A model of the vehicles in the platoon considering vehicular aerodynamic drag is established. In the proposed control system, fuel consumption of the vehicles is considered in the performance index, and information of the road topography is used for prediction to reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicles. These control systems were simulated in the case of platoon formation, driving with varying target velocity and driving on road with grade. From the results of the comparison among these control systems, since the prediction based road geography information was used for fuel saving, the significant improvement in fuel economy was shown by the proposed control system.