Adaptive Cruise Control in consideration of trade-off between capability of following a leading vehicle and suppression of fuel consumption

In this study an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system is designed to not only improve capability of following a leading vehicle but also suppress fuel consumption. There is a trade-off relation between the following capability and fuel consumption because low acceleration drive may contribute suppression of fuel consumption. In order to suppress the sharp fluctuation of vehicle acceleration, Linear Quadratic Integral control is applied. By carrying out simulations, the control system performance is evaluated on fuel consumption, risk to the driver, ride comfort or effect to the following vehicles after the vehicle with ACC. It is demonstrated from the simulation results that the control system designed is effective for suppression of fuel consumption in comparison with a twodegree-of-freedom control system that has been already used.