Model based predictive control for the longitudinal guidance of vehicles in low velocity range

This paper presents a model based predictive controller (MPC), which enables the control of vehicle velocity subject to keep an obligatory minimal distance to the preceding vehicle. An algorithm for situation identification and the knowledge of situation specific driver behaviour are integrated into the controller design. The control method is developed in the simulation and applied to an experimental vehicle. Within the framework of the interdisciplinary research program "intelligent traffic and user-friendly technology" (invent), supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Institute of Automatic Control (IRT) of the RWTH Aachen University along with the Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen mbH Aachen (fka) in subcontract of the invent-STA (Congestion Assistant)-consortium is working on the development of an automatically acting assistance system for the longitudinal guidance of vehicles in low velocity range.