Coordinated longitudinal-lateral control for truck platooning: Minimizing fuel consumption and NOx emissions.

This paper develops a coordinated longitudinal-lateral control framework for truck platooning, leveraging real-world platooning data from Canada's first commercial-oriented truck platooning trials to inform model development and simulation conditions. The longitudinal controller regulates inter-vehicle spacing while enhancing fuel savings and lowering tailpipe NOx emissions through smoothing speed profiles and reducing unnecessary engine fluctuations. The lateral controller maintains lateral safety and minimizes lateral offsets to preserve platooning fuel-saving benefits. A two-truck platoon is evaluated on a driving cycle incorporating measured wind and road grade. The designed system keeps spacing deviations and lateral offsets within desired ranges, and the follower truck achieves up to 6.6% fuel savings at regulation-compliant time gaps and reduces tailpipe NOx by up to 50.4% compared to the field-trial baseline without longitudinal-lateral coordination.