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Download the Paper (2.6 MB, PDF file) - January 1, 1996 Tell a colleague about it. Printing Tips: Select 'print as image' in the Acrobat print dialog if you have trouble printing.

ABSTRACT:

In this report, the authors develop two new nonlinear spacing policies, variable time headway and variable separation error gain, designed to all but eliminate the undesirable side effect of large steady-state intervehicle spacings. This disadvantage is pronounced in heavy-duty vehicles, which require larger time headways due to their low actuation-to- weight ratio. The first policy significantly reduces the transient errors and allows for the use of much smaller spacings in autonomous platoon operation, while the second one results in smoother and more robust longitudinal control.