Cruise Control Enhancement Incorporating Road Grade and Convoy Spacing to Improve Fuel Efficiency

Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S), with the Auburn University GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Lab (AU-Gavlab), will develop a Cruise Control Enhancement (CCE) which incorporates terrain and aerodynamic data to improve single vehicle and convoy fuel efficiency.Model Predictive Control (MPC) with Artificial Potential Fields (APF) will be employed to control speed and convoy spacing via throttle, brake, and gear actuators. MPC will incorporate a truck model which includes aerodynamic properties and terrain data in addition to traditional subsystems like engine and drivetrain. The MPC will optimize commanded inputs to maximize fuel efficiency while respecting safety and other hard limits. APF will guarantee safe spacing within the convoy. As the spacing approaches the safety threshold, the APF will create an artificial repulsive force to increase the spacing.The CCE will be evaluated in a high-fidelity simulation over a range of scenarios. The terrain, number of trucks, truck configuration, and nominal speed will be varied. The CCE will be configured to optimize both a single vehicle and the entire convoy with either a preset nominal speed or speed set by the lead vehicle. Additionally, the CCE will be implemented on trucks and initial validation and convoy demonstrations will be performed.