Maneuver-Level Cooperation of Automated Vehicles

Cooperative behavior of automated vehicles at the maneuver level is of utmost importance for the efficient and safe use of traffic space. This chapter discusses a vehicle-to-vehicle communication-based negotiation and cooperation method for maneuver cooperation. The method is based on the negotiation about explicitly defined reservation areas on the road for the exclusive use of a particular traffic participant. It covers all standard traffic situations occurring on regular streets and thus achieves universal applicability. The evaluation of simulations and driving tests shows the suitability of the method for effective maneuver cooperation in various traffic situations. Furthermore, based on this method, the planning and execution of cooperative maneuvers in emergency situations are investigated. Simulations show that collisions can be avoided in relevant cases by this method. Moreover, further simulations and driving tests show that joint maneuvers can avoid sharp braking maneuvers in many situations. In addition, research on a methodology for implicit maneuver cooperation is presented. Based on reinforcement learning methods, partially cooperative decision-making functions are studied in a setting that benefits from cooperative behavior. The evaluation shows that cooperative behaviors of road participants can be achieved using this technique.