A constant separation control law for use in automated guideway transit

This report describes a control method for operating a string of vehicles under a constant separation policy which does not result in string instability. Each vehicle, rather than only looking at the preceding vehicle, also receives a velocity command which is common to all vehicles. The feedback controller is split into two parts, one to control based on vehicle separation error and the other to control based on velocity error. By properly apportioning the feedback gain between these two paths, string instability is overcome. A simulation of a five vehicle string demonstrates the validity of the technique.