# String stability and a delay-based spacing policy for vehicle platoons subject to disturbances

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1702.01031 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1702.01031/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 3 Feb 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Learning to Simulate Self-Driven Particles System with Coordinated Policy Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.13827/) (2021)
- [CoMAL: Collaborative Multi-Agent Large Language Models for Mixed-Autonomy Traffic](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.14368/) (2024)
- [Physics-inspired Neural Networks for Parameter Learning of Adaptive Cruise Control Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.01211/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

A novel delay-based spacing policy for the control of vehicle platoons is introduced together with a notion of disturbance string stability. The delay-based spacing policy specifies the desired inter-vehicular distance between vehicles and guarantees that all vehicles track the same spatially varying reference velocity profile, as is for example required for heavy-duty vehicles driving over hilly terrain. Disturbance string stability is a notion of string stability of vehicle platoons subject to external disturbances on all vehicles that guarantees that perturbations do not grow unbounded as they propagate through the platoon. Specifically, a control design approach in the spatial domain is presented that achieves tracking of the desired spacing policy and guarantees disturbance string stability with respect to a spatially varying reference velocity. The results are illustrated by means of simulations.