REAL-TIME, ENERGY-EFFICIENT COMPUTATIONS OF OPTIMAL ROAD VEHICLE VELOCITY PROFILES

The invention is notably directed to a computer-implemented method for controlling a speed of a vehicle given energy-related quantities that pertain to moving the vehicle. Each of said energy-related quantities is being referred to as an energy expense in the following. The method involves two key operations (a full-horizon optimization and multiple, nested short-horizon optimizations), which are performed based on route parameters of a route segment and real-time signals capturing current states of the vehicle. First, a target function of a profile of an energy expense is optimized (S) for a route segment, to determine a reference profile Xof this energy expense. The optimization is constrained with respect to objectives in respect of a total travel time and/or a total travel energy expense for the vehicle to travel said route segment. A profile of parameter values is obtained (S-S) according to a by-product of the optimization. Next, short-horizon speed profiles Vof the vehicle are repeatedly determined (S) to plan speeds Vof the vehicle along local sections of the route segment. Such predictions are achieved by minimizing, for each of the local sections, a cost function as parameterized by one of the parameter values. The cost function captures a cost of deviating from an output of the optimized target function due to such speed profiles; said output and said one of the parameter values pertain, each, to said each of the local sections. Finally, control signals are obtained based on the planned speeds V. Such control signals can be used for controlling (S) a speed of the vehicle along each of said local sections of the route segment. The invention is further directed to related systems, vehicles, and computer program products.