This paper introduces a novel approach that seeks a middle ground for traffic control in multi-lane congestion, where prevailing traffic speeds are too fast, and speed recommendations designed to dampen traffic waves are too slow. Advanced controllers that modify the speed of an automated car for wave-dampening, eco-driving, or other goals, typically are designed with forward collision safety in mind. Our approach goes further, by considering how dangerous it can be for a controller to drive so slowly relative to prevailing traffic that it creates a significant issue for safety and comfort. This paper explores open-road scenarios where large gaps between prevailing speeds and desired speeds can exist, specifically when infrastructure-based variable speed limit systems are not strictly followed at all times by other drivers. Our designed, implemented, and deployed algorithm is able to follow variable speed limits when others also follow it, avoid collisions with vehicles ahead, and adapt to prevailing traffic when other motorists are traveling well above the posted speeds. The key is to reject unsafe speed recommendations from infrastructure-based traffic smoothing systems, based on real-time local traffic conditions observed by the vehicle under control. This solution is implemented and deployed on two control vehicles in heavy multi-lane highway congestion. The results include analysis from system design, and field tests that validate the system's performance using an existing Variable Speed Limit system as the external source for speed recommendations, and the on-board sensors of a stock Toyota Rav4 for inputs that estimate the prevailing speed of traffic around the vehicle under control.

翻译：本文提出了一种新颖方法，旨在为多车道拥堵场景下的交通控制寻求中庸之道——当主流车速过快而用于抑制交通波动的建议车速过慢时，该方法力图平衡两者。现有针对自动车辆进行波动抑制、生态驾驶等目标设计的高级控制器通常以正向碰撞安全为前提。我们的方法更进一步，考虑了控制器因行驶速度显著低于主流交通流而导致的安全与舒适性隐患。本文探讨了在开放道路场景中主流车速与目标车速存在巨大差异的问题，特别针对其他驾驶员并非始终严格遵循基于基础设施的可变限速系统的情况。我们设计、实现并部署的算法能够在其他车辆遵守限速时同步执行可变限速指令，避免与前车发生碰撞，并在其他驾驶员超速行驶时自适应调整至主流交通流节奏。其关键在于：根据受控车辆实时观测到的局部交通状况，拒绝来自基础设施交通平滑系统的不安全速度建议。该方案已在两条多车道高速公路严重拥堵路段完成控制车辆部署与实测验证。结果包含系统设计分析及现场测试数据——通过现有可变限速系统作为外部速度建议源，利用丰田RAV4量产车型的板载传感器估算受控车辆周围的主流交通速度。