Experimental Validation of a Real-Time Optimal Controller for Coordination of CAVs in a Multi-Lane Roundabout
This addresses traffic congestion and inefficiency in roundabouts for transportation systems, but it is incremental as it builds on prior work.
The paper validated an optimal control framework for coordinating connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) in a multi-lane roundabout using a scaled smart city testbed, showing that the solution completely eliminated stop-and-go driving while maintaining safety.
Roundabouts in conjunction with other traffic scenarios, e.g., intersections, merging roadways, speed reduction zones, can induce congestion in a transportation network due to driver responses to various disturbances. Research efforts have shown that smoothing traffic flow and eliminating stop-and-go driving can both improve fuel efficiency of the vehicles and the throughput of a roundabout. In this paper, we validate an optimal control framework developed earlier in a multi-lane roundabout scenario using the University of Delaware's scaled smart city (UDSSC). We first provide conditions where the solution is optimal. Then, we demonstrate the feasibility of the solution using experiments at UDSSC, and show that the optimal solution completely eliminates stop-and-go driving while preserving safety.