Railway Virtual Coupling: A Survey of Emerging Control Techniques

This paper provides a systematic review of emerging control techniques used for railway virtual coupling (VC) studies. Train motion models are first reviewed, including model formulations and force elements involved. Control objectives typical design constraints then elaborated. Next, existing VC surveyed classified into five groups: consensus-based control, prediction sliding mode machine learning-based constraints-following control. Their advantages disadvantages applications also discussed in detail. Furthermore, several future directions achieving better controller development implementation envisioned, respectively. The purposes this survey to help researchers achieve comprehensive understanding regarding spark more research VC, further speed-up the realization technology other relevant fields such as road vehicles.