CPS: Small: Cyber-Physical Phases of Mixed Traffic with Modular & Autonomous Vehicles: Dynamics, Impacts and Management
Lead PI:
Xiaopeng Li
Abstract

Emerging technologies in communications and vehicle technologies will allow future autonomous vehicles to be platooned together with wireless communications (cyber-connected) or physically forming an actual train (physically-connected). When physically connected, vehicles may dock to and undock from each other en-route when vehicles are still moving. While such platooning can potentially offer substantial societal benefits in safety, mobility and environmental friendliness, their emergence also challenges the classic traffic flow models that do not account for the state that vehicles can have very short to no gaps from each other. And yet, classic traffic flow models are being used for all traffic simulations for assessment on safety, mobility and environment. This project aims to expand classic highway traffic flow models to account for states where vehicles can be very close to or even physically connected with each other. These new models will help stakeholders plan and manage future transportation systems and supply the engineering curriculum with new methods, tools, and experimental platforms oriented towards future smart urban systems.

Xiaopeng Li

Dr. Xiaopeng (Shaw) Li is currently a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). He served as the director of National Institute for Congestion Reduction (NICR) before. He is a recipient of a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award. He has served as the PI or a co-PI for a number of federal, state, and industry grants, with a total budget of around $30 million. He has published over 110 peer-reviewed journal papers. His major research interests include automated vehicle traffic control and connected & interdependent infrastructure systems. ). He received a B.S. degree (2006) in civil engineering from Tsinghua University, China, an M.S. degree (2007), and a Ph.D. (2011) degree in civil engineering along with an M.S. degree (2010) in applied mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign, USA.

Performance Period: 10/01/2022 - 03/31/2024
Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sponsor: NSF
Award Number: 2313578