Research on the possibility of carrying out convoy driving missions using vehicles with varying degrees of autonomy

The objective of this work is to assess the possibility of driving unmanned vehicles in a convoy, depending on the vehicle type (wheeled or tracked, level 0, according to SAE J3016), and the mutual coincidence with a human-controlled vehicle in accordance with the driving scenario adopted. The assessment is based on tests carried out while driving the vehicles along a designated route and measuring the physical quantities that describe the vehicles’ motion, such as the components of the velocity vectors and distances between the vehicles. The tests were carried out on a safe training ground, using inertial-satellite devices mounted on the vehicles; they provide a good basis for planning the minimum passage corridor for a column of vehicles. During the tests, the expected distances between the vehicles were recorded and analyzed depending on the above-mentioned types of the vehicles; based on that, the possibility of using the technology in the carrying out of various missions for the needs of the tactical level units of the Polish Armed Forces was preliminarily assessed. The required lane width for the safe passage of Target 1, Hunter and Target 2 vehicles along the designated routes was calculated, taking into account the external dimensions of the vehicles, the additional widths associated with the vehicles' yaw angles and the maximum lateral distances between the vehicles. During tests of a convoy of remote-controlled vehicles, maintaining a speed of 1.5 m/s and a distance of 10 m, the requirements for the lane width for safe passage were analyzed. The largest lateral gaps were observed between Target 2 and Hunter vehicles, which may affect the planning of the convoy route. The differences in lane width between the two tests were due to the yaw angles of the vehicles and their different dimensions and drive types. In the first test, the lane width for Target 1 and Hunter was 5.50 m and for Target 2 3.70 m; in the second test it was reduced to 3.73 m and increased to 3.75 m, respectively.