BRAKING AND SIGNALING SCHEMES FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SYSTEM

A method of decelerating a plurality of vehicles along a roadway may include, at a first vehicle, receiving, from an adjacent downstream vehicle, a first braking initiation signal and a first deceleration value indicating a deceleration rate of the adjacent downstream vehicle, determining a first distance to the adjacent downstream vehicle, and determining, based at least in part on the first distance, a second deceleration value configured to prevent the first vehicle from colliding with the adjacent downstream vehicle. The method may further include in accordance with a determination that the second deceleration value is greater than or equal to an upper deceleration value, decelerating at the upper deceleration value, and, in accordance with a determination that the second deceleration value is less than the upper deceleration value and greater than a lower deceleration target, decelerating at the second deceleration value.