Compensation of Distinct Actuator Delays for Heterogeneous Vehicular Platoons via Predictor-Based CACC

We develop a predictor-based cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) design for platoons with heterogeneous vehicles, whose dynamics are described by a third-order linear system subject to actuator's delays, which are distinct for each individual vehicle. The design achieves individual vehicle stability, string stability, and zero, steady-state speed/spacing tracking errors, relying on a nominal, constant time headway (CTH)-type CACC design that achieves these specifications when all actuator delays are zero. This is achieved owing to the delay-compensating mechanism, of the CACC law introduced, for long delays values and despite the fact that each vehicle's dynamics are subject to different input delays, which makes the available predictor-feedback CACC designs inapplicable. The proofs of individual vehicle stability, string stability, and regulation rely on employment of an input-output approach on the frequency domain. In addition, we present consistent simulation results that validate the performance of our design in realistic scenarios.