A safe velocity tracking controller for AHS platoon leaders

A velocity tracking controller for platoon leaders in the PATH automated highway system (AHS) architecture is presented. This controller keeps the state of the platoons inside a safety region in such a way that high velocity impacts between platoons are avoided, even in the presence of single lane disturbances. When safety is not compromised, the controller keeps the acceleration and jerk of the vehicles in a platoon within comfort limits. This controller can be applied to all of the four leader control laws used in the regulation layer of the architecture. Therefore transitions between control laws are also made safe.