Automated driving lane change algorithm based on robust model predictive control for merge situations on highway intersections

This paper describes the design and evaluation of a driving mode decision algorithm for automated driving for merge situations on highways. For the development of a highly automated driving control algorithm for merge situations, the driving mode decision is crucial for merging appropriately. There are two driving modes: lane keeping and lane changing (merging). The merge mode decision is determined based on the state of the surrounding vehicles and the remaining length of the merge lane. In the merge mode decision algorithm, merge possibility and the desired merge position are decided to change the lane safely and quickly. A safety driving envelope is defined based on the desired driving mode using the information on the surrounding vehicles' behaviors. To obtain the desired steering angle and longitudinal acceleration for maintaining the subject vehicle in the safe driving envelope, a motion planning controller is designed using model predictive control (MPC), with constraints that are decided considering the vehicle dynamics, safe driving envelope, and actuator limit. The proposed control algorithm has been evaluated via computer simulation studies.