METHOD FOR PLATOONING OF VEHICLES IN AN AUTOMATED VEHICLE SYSTEM

摘要

Disclosed is a method of increasing track capacity in an automated vehicle system, the automated vehicle system comprising a network of tracks along which vehicles are adapted to travel, the network comprising at least one merge point at which at least two upstream tracks merge to form a downstream track, at least one diverge point at which one upstream track diverges to form at least two downstream tracks and a plurality of stations at which passengers may board and/or disembark from the vehicles; wherein the method comprises controlling vehicles so as to cause empty vehicles to travel as at least onesequence of vehicles defined as a platoon; and controlling the empty vehicles of the at least one sequence to travel with a first safety distance between each other, the first safety distance being shorter than a second safety distance between vehicles being at least partially loaded.