With the introduction of autonomous vehicles (AVs) onto roads globally in the future, questions arise regarding the potential to use such vehicles and to adjust infrastructure to accommodate them more efficiently. This paper presents a novel approach to enhance highway capacity by reducing lane width. The paper explores the safety implications of narrowing highway lanes through simulation modelling, focusing on a two-lane highway driving scenario. Two highway scenarios are introduced with a situation whereby one AV is overtaking another AV, i.e., on a highway with a straight road section and on a highway with a curved road section. The approach presented uses deontological ethical principles embedded into AV navigation algorithms, ensuring safe interactions between vehicles. Virtual boundaries (VBs) are used to define safe operating distances and to guide AV behaviour. A model predictive control (MPC) algorithm coupled with velocity control is used to optimise trajectory planning. This is then used investigate the safety of the straight and curved highway sections to determine the effectiveness of implementing such approaches.

The operation of a tethered drone with an Aurrigo Auto-Pod (AAP), or an autonomous robot (AR), represents a novel integration of technologies that demands a meticulous consideration of system requirements. Currently, there is a paucity of literature addressing the use of autonomous vehicles/robots (such as AAP/AR) with tethered drone systems. Through collaborative meetings between academics and industry partner Aurrigo, system requirements which address four critical areas were identified. These are for the requirements of system specific applications, including airports and large events such as concerts and sports games. This paper presents a comprehensive first step and a literature review based on these identified system requirements.

This research uses modelling and simulation tools to investigate safe and ethical autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the highway. Virtual boundaries around a AV are introduced for the safe and ethical navigation; namely, the three levels of unsafe, buffer and barrier. The three levels are used to develop driving rules for highway lane behaviour and lane changing. Considering the driving rules, Maxims based on Deontological ethics are applied. To test the driving rules, a modelling and simulation tool is used, with the AV modelled using a dynamic bicycle model and an adaptive model-predictive control (MPC) algorithm design. An initial scenario demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach.