Method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance and equitably sharing fuel benefits in a vehicle platoon

1. A method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance, comprising:

communicating at least one of a frontal area and a drag coefficient representative of a first and at least one second vehicle to a processor at an information exchange point, as the first vehicle approaches the at least one second vehicle;

selecting, based on the at least one of the frontal area and the drag coefficient, a position in a driving order of the first vehicle with respect to the at least one second vehicle;

transmitting the position in the driving order from the processor to at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

maneuvering the first vehicle into the selected position in the driving order, wherein one of the first and at least one second vehicles moves into a lead position and another of the first and at least one second vehicles moves into a trailing position;

recording a real-time fuel economy of both the vehicle in the trailing position and the vehicle in the lead position in the processor, as the vehicle in the trailing position moves from a maximum following distance to a minimum following distance from the vehicle in the lead position;

selecting, based on at least the recorded real-time fuel economy, an optimal inter-vehicle distance between the vehicles in the lead and trailing positions; and

moving the vehicle in the trailing position to the optimal inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle in the lead position.

2. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second vehicle is a platoon of two or more vehicles.

3. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 2 , wherein maneuvering the first vehicle into the selected position further comprises:

providing a space for the first vehicle to enter the platoon in a central position within the platoon.

4. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 2 , further comprising:

re-establishing optimal inter-vehicle distances between each vehicle in the platoon when a vehicle enters or leaves the platoon.

5. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 1 , wherein the processor provides a command for maneuvering the first vehicle into the selected position in the driving order.

6. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 1 , wherein all steps are autonomously performed by the vehicles.

7. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 1 , wherein prior to the step of communicating, the method further comprises:

approaching the at least one second vehicle on a stretch of road; and

indicating, via a communications device, a desire to enter into a vehicle platoon with the at least one second vehicle.

8. The method for optimizing inter-vehicle distance of claim 7 , wherein the communications device indicates the driving order and the optimal inter-vehicle distance, and wherein the steps of maneuvering the first vehicle into the selected position and moving the vehicle into the trailing position are performed semi-autonomously.

9. A server comprising:

at least one processor programmed to:

establish communication with at least one of a remote wireless communications system and a remote satellite system;

receive a vehicle characteristic of a first and at least one second vehicle from the at least one remote wireless communications system and remote satellite system, wherein the vehicle characteristic is at least one of a vehicle frontal area and a vehicle drag coefficient;

select, based on the vehicle characteristics, a driving order of the first vehicle with respect to the at least one second vehicle; and

in response to the selected driving order, send a control action to the first vehicle, which in turn, moves into the selected driving order with the at least one second vehicle.

10. The server of claim 9 , wherein one of the first and at least one second vehicles is moved into a lead position and another of the first and at least one second vehicles is moved into a trailing position; and wherein the at least one processor further receives a value representative of a real-time fuel economy of the vehicle in the trailing position and the vehicle in the lead position as the vehicle in the trailing position moves from a maximum following distance to a minimum following distance from the vehicle in the lead position.

11. The server of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

select, based on the received real-time fuel economy values, an optimal inter-vehicle distance between the vehicles in the lead and trailing positions; and

in response to the selected optimal inter-vehicle distance, automatically execute a control action to move the vehicle in the trailing position to the optimal inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle in the lead position.

12. The server of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive a value indicative of a real-time fuel economy of the first and the at least one second vehicle before and after moving into the selected driving order;

calculate an individual fuel economy value and an average combined fuel economy improvement value of the first and the at least one second vehicle as a result of moving into the selected driving order;

calculate an equitable distribution of the fuel economy improvement value for the first and the at least one second vehicle; and

distribute a credit to the first and the at least one second vehicle over one or more communication channels as a result of the equitable distribution.

13. The server of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second vehicle is a platoon of two or more vehicles.