On the global dynamics of connected vehicle systems

In this contribution, heterogeneous connected vehicle systems, that include human-driven as well as connected automated vehicles, are investigated. The reaction time delay of human drivers as well as the communication and actuation delays of connected automated vehicles is incorporated in the model. Saturations due to the speed limit and limited acceleration capabilities of the vehicles are also taken into account. The arising nonlinear delayed system is studied using analytical and numerical bifurcation analysis. Stability analysis is used to identify regions in parameter space where oscillations arise due to loss of linear stability of the equilibrium. Moreover, with the help of numerical continuation, bistability between the equilibrium and oscillations is shown to exist due to the presence of an isola. It is demonstrated that utilizing long-range wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication the connected automated vehicle is able to eliminate the oscillations and keep the traffic flow smooth.