Research on Virtual Coupling Technology for Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Delay

The virtual coupling technology based on vehicle-to-vehicle communication can significantly shorten the distance between trains and improve the efficiency of the railway network, which is at the forefront of rail transit research. As a critical link in the virtual coupling system, vehicle-to-vehicle communication profoundly affects the coordinated operation of the trains under the virtual coupling state. Under the background of the shorter distance between trains and more complex train control technology, the virtual coupling system has more strict requirements for communication delay. This paper discusses the effect of communication delay on the virtual coupling of trains, which can provide theoretical support for vehicle-to-vehicle communication system performance design. In the first stage, a train dynamics model is proposed, and the model predictive control (MPC) method is used to realize the virtual coupling among multiple trains. In the second stage, using this dynamics model, the effect of communication delay on the virtual coupling train control system is analyzed through a simulation experiment. Finally, according to the experimental conclusion, the communication delay will not only cause the response lag of the following train but also aggravate the vibration phenomenon of the control system’s output. These problems will challenge the smooth operation of trains and railway energy conservation.