Poster: On the effects of cooperative platooning on traffic shock waves

Cooperative platooning has been proposed as a promising solution to traffic congestion, safety, and pollution. A platooning application forms road trains of vehicles that autonomously follow a common leader, separated by a small inter-vehicle gap. In terms of traffic efficiency, platooning should improve the vehicular flow and reduce shock waves. The latter are the cause of start-and-stop dynamics which, besides disrupting traffic flow, can lead to accidents. The aim of this poster is to analyze, by means of simulations, the impact of platoons on both the traffic flow and the formation of shock waves.