A Reactive Agent Based Vehicle Platoon Algorithm with Integrated Obstacle Avoidance Ability

Abstract

Since a couple of years, multi-agent systems have been used for a wide range of applications such as problem solving, modelling and simulation, Reactive agent based systems are characterized by their capability to solve complex problems, while maintaining functional and conceptual simplicity of each element. These approaches exhibit effectiveness whatever the considering fields (life simulation, robots and cooperation). One of the main problems of such method is the difficulty to characterize/measure emergent phenomena. Based on preceding work, this paper presents a reactive agent based vehicle platoon algorithm with an integrated obstacle avoidance ability. The vehicle decision process is then considered as a multi-agent system, the agents of which build collectively the decision taking into account both platoon and obstacle avoidance constraints. The decision is built through measurement of agency collective state and dynamics.