Impact of Network-Induced Delays on Autonomous Vehicle Steering Stability

<div>This article presents a cross-layer framework that integrates realistic vehicle-to-network-to-vehicle (V2N2V) delay characterization with a rigorous stability analysis of automated vehicle steering control. Both constant and network-induced time-varying delays modeled via deterministic bounds are addressed. For constant delays, delay-independent stability regions within the controller gain space are analytically derived. For time-varying delays with stochastic network origins, modeled using deterministic bounds, a refined Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF) incorporating augmented single- and double-integral terms is constructed. To establish delay-dependent linear matrix inequality (LMI) conditions, a reciprocally convex combination approach is employed to handle the delay interval partitioning, and the second-order Bessel–Legendre inequality is applied to tighten the integral quadratic bounds. The resulting LMI conditions explicitly capture the coupled effects of delay magnitude, delay variation rate, and control gains on closed-loop stability. Simulations of a lane-keeping scenario confirm that the predicted stability boundaries accurately match the closed-loop system behavior. Notably, incorporating a realistic time-varying V2N2V delay profile into the controller design reduces the lateral-state root-mean-square error (RMSE) by over 54% and decreases the settling time by a factor of 10 compared to designs relying on an average-delay assumption. However, high packet loss rates are shown to still induce residual oscillations due to information scarcity. Ultimately, these results elucidate delay-induced instability mechanisms and provide practical guidelines for designing delay-robust steering controllers for connected and automated vehicles.</div>