# Sequential Online Chore Division for Autonomous Vehicle Convoy Formation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.04159 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.04159/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 1 of its 29 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 9 Apr 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Online Fair Division: analysing a Food Bank problem](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1502.07571/) (2015)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Chore division is a class of fair division problems in which some undesirable "resource" must be shared among a set of participants, with each participant wanting to get as little as possible. Typically the set of participants is fixed and known at the outset. This paper introduces a novel variant, called sequential online chore division (SOCD), in which participants arrive and depart online, while the chore is being performed: both the total number of participants and their arrival/departure times are initially unknown. In SOCD, exactly one agent must be performing the chore at any give time (e.g. keeping lookout), and switching the performer incurs a cost. In this paper, we propose and analyze three mechanisms for SOCD: one centralized mechanism using side payments, and two distributed ones that seek to balance the participants' loads. Analysis and results are presented in a domain motivated by autonomous vehicle convoy formation, where the chore is leading the convoy so that all followers can enjoy reduced wind resistance.