Stochastic string stability analysis of vehicular platoons with lossy inter vehicle communication channels

Abstract

This thesis conducts a detailed investigation into string stability for platoons of vehicles with communication channels affected by random data loss. The platoon configuration under analysis comprises homogeneous linear time-invariant vehicles with predecessor-follower topology and time-headway spacing policy. Lossy communication channels are represented using Bernoulli processes. Additionally, data compensation strategies schemes are employed to mitigate the impact of missing information during data loss events. Given the stochastic nature of the system, to study the string stability property this thesis introduces the notions of Lp-mean Lq-variance string stability and mean square string stability. By examining the necessary and sufficient conditions aligned with these definitions, the analysis investigates the convergence over time and scalability aspects of the platoon. The thesis findings underscore the significant influence of data loss rate on string stability. Numerical simulations complement the theoretical insights, offering valuable perspectives on the practical implications of the proposed framework.