The Hidden Dangers of Car Platoons

In the world of connected cars, a small issue can quickly become a big problem. When cars follow each other closely, a minor conflict can escalate. This is due to the system's instability, leading to dangerous rear-end collisions. Traditional safety measures fall short. They only consider the motion of the car in front, missing potential hazards further down the line. This is a big deal for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). These cars need to spot dangers early and act fast to prevent crashes. To tackle this, a new approach has been developed. It uses reliability theory to assess risks by looking at multiple cars ahead, not just the one directly in front. A new safety measure, the Potential Safety Hazard Index (PSHI), has been created. It helps identify risks from several cars ahead in a car-following situation. This index was put to the test in a real-world rear-end crash scenario, proving its effectiveness. To make PSHI work in real-time for CAVs, a method called Orthogonal Transformation First Order Reliability Method (OTFORM) was developed. It speeds up the calculations, keeping the computational load under 0. 01 seconds. This is crucial for quick decision-making in connected cars. Interestingly, the research found that the main risks come from the three cars directly ahead in risky situations. This new framework offers a fresh perspective on safety assessment. It also shows promise for improving the longitudinal safety control strategies of CAVs. However, it's important to think critically about this approach. While it's a step forward, it's not a complete solution. Real-world driving conditions can be unpredictable, and more testing is needed to ensure this framework works in all scenarios. Additionally, the focus on the three cars ahead might overlook risks from further down the line. Balancing proactive measures with real-time data is key to enhancing safety in connected car environments.