Energy release based spacing for vehicles

1 . A computer implemented method for spacing multiple independent vehicles, the computer implemented method comprising:

simulating, by a computer system, the vehicles moving on a road using a simulation system;

determining, by the computer system, an energy of the vehicles moving on the road using the simulation system, wherein the energy of the vehicles comprises kinetic energy and potential energy;

determining, by the computer system, a desired spacing for the vehicles needed to reduce an undesired vehicle contact in response to an unexpected change in driving parameters for a number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles moving on the road using the simulation system; and

performing, by the computer system, a set of actions for that cause physical repositioning of the vehicles on the road using the desired spacing determined for the vehicles,

wherein determining, by the computer system, the desired spacing between the vehicles needed to reduce the undesired vehicle contact in response to the unexpected change in the driving parameters for the number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles using the simulation system comprises:

determining, by the computer system, a potential release of the energy for a potential driving scenario with the unexpected change in the driving parameters that results in a transfer of the kinetic energy between the vehicles using a current spacing between the vehicles; and

determining, by the computer system, the desired spacing that avoids the transfer of the kinetic energy between the vehicles.

2 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the computer system, the desired spacing between the vehicles needed to reduce the undesired vehicle contact in response to the unexpected change in the driving parameters for the number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles using the simulation system comprises:

determining, by the computer system, a potential release of the energy for a potential driving scenario with the unexpected change in the driving parameters that results in a potential energy of an object being transformed into kinetic energy that is transferred to a vehicle in the vehicles using a current spacing between the vehicles; and

determining, by the computer system, the desired spacing that avoids the potential energy of the object being transformed into a kinetic energy that is transferred to the vehicle.

3 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein repositioning, by the computer system, the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles comprises:

adjusting, by the computer system, a speed of the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles.

4 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein repositioning, by the computer system, the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles comprises:

changing, by the computer system, a lane for the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles.

5 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein repositioning, by the computer system, the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles comprises:

displaying, by the computer system, an instruction for a speed change of the vehicles, wherein the speed change results in the desired spacing for the vehicles.

6 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the simulation system is a digital twin system.

7 . A computer system comprising:

a number of processor units, wherein the number of processor units executes program instructions to:

simulate multiple independent vehicles moving on a road using a simulation system;

determine an energy of the vehicles moving on the road using the simulation system, wherein the energy comprises kinetic energy and potential energy;

determine a desired spacing for the vehicles needed to reduce an undesired vehicle contact in response to an unexpected change in driving parameters for a number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles moving on the road using the simulation system; and

perform a set of actions that cause physical repositioning of the vehicles on the road using on the desired spacing determined for the vehicles,

wherein in determining the desired spacing between the vehicles needed to reduce the undesired vehicle contact in response to the unexpected change in the driving parameters for the number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles using the simulation system, the number of processor units executes the program instructions to:

determine a potential release of the energy for a potential driving scenario with the unexpected change in the driving parameters that results in a transfer of the kinetic energy between the vehicles using a current spacing between the vehicles; and

determine the desired spacing that avoids the transfer of the kinetic energy between the vehicles.

8 . The computer system of claim 7 , wherein in determining the desired spacing between the vehicles needed to reduce the undesired vehicle contact in response to the unexpected change in the driving parameters for the number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles using the simulation system, the number of processor units executes the program instructions to:

determine a potential release of the energy for a potential driving scenario with the unexpected change in the driving parameters that results in the potential energy of an object being transformed into the kinetic energy that is transferred to a vehicle in the vehicles using a current spacing between the vehicles; and

determine the desired spacing that avoids the potential energy of the object being transformed into the kinetic energy that is transferred to the vehicle.

9 . The computer system of claim 7 , wherein in repositioning the group of the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles, the number of processor units executes the program instructions to:

adjust a speed of the group of the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles.

10 . The computer system of claim 7 , wherein in repositioning the group of the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles, the number of processor units executes the program instructions to:

change a lane for the group of the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles.

11 . The computer system of claim 7 , wherein in repositioning the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles, the number of processor units executes the program instructions to:

display an instruction for a speed change of the vehicles, wherein the speed change results in the desired spacing for the vehicles.

12 . The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the simulation system is a digital twin system.

13 . A computer program product for spacing multiple independent vehicles, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer system to cause the computer system to perform a method of:

simulating, by the computer system, the vehicles moving on a road using a simulation system;

determining, by the computer system, an energy of the vehicles moving on the road using the simulation system, wherein the energy comprises kinetic energy and potential energy;

determining, by the computer system, a desired spacing for the vehicles needed to reduce an undesired vehicle contact in response to an unexpected change in driving parameters for a number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles moving on the road using the simulation system; and

performing, by the computer system, a set of actions for that cause physical repositioning of the vehicles on the road using on the desired spacing determined for the vehicles,

wherein in determining the desired spacing between the vehicles needed to reduce the undesired vehicle contact in response to the unexpected change in the driving parameters for the number of the vehicles based on the energy of the vehicles using the simulation system, the number of processor units executes the program instructions to:

determine a potential release of the energy for a potential driving scenario with the unexpected change in the driving parameters that results in a transfer of the kinetic energy between the vehicles using a current spacing between the vehicles; and

determine the desired spacing that avoids the transfer of the kinetic energy between the vehicles.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program instructions executable by the computer system cause the computer system to display an instruction for a speed change of the vehicles, wherein the speed change results in the desired spacing for the vehicles.

15 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program instructions executable by the computer system cause the computer system to change a lane for the vehicles to obtain the desired spacing between the vehicles.

16 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the simulation system is a digital twin system.