In order to use the road network as efficiently as possible and to fully exploit the potential of automated vehicles, vehicle cooperation is essential. Conflicts between road users over available space on the road can only be resolved efficiently through cooperation. To this end, we investigate the space time reservation procedure (STRP) which is a generic approach to cooperation between vehicles. The method is based on a decentralized two-step negotiation procedure during which parts of the road can be reserved in order to carry out maneuvers that were originally conflicting. After the rollout of the first cooperative automated vehicles, a long transition period with mixed traffic is expected. Since the approach in this paper builds on existing road traffic regulations and does not abolish them, the method can also be applied in mixed traffic. Compared to the preliminary work on this approach, the method is simplified and further generalized for already supported traffic situations. This increases flexibility during the execution of cooperative maneuvers. Additionally, new reservation geometries covering almost all possible conflicts in traffic are investigated, e.g. lane changes, intersections, overtaking, roundabouts. Finally, the approach is evaluated by means of test drives with two research vehicles and in simulations.

We explore the feasibility of 5G for enhancing cooperative automated driving. A V2X solution for enhancing road safety through connected cars based on 5G radio technology is shown. Based on a flexible, re-configurable software defined radio test-bed, we examine the benefit of ultra low latency and high reliability (URLLC) profile for enhanced emergency brake maneuver. This use case reveals the advantages and additional requirements of using 5G for automated emergency braking based on vehicle-to-vehicle communication. We analyze the impact of communication latency and reliability on the maneuver performance and associated safety aspect. The results provide insights into the joint-design of a V2X communication system for enhancing road safety through cooperative automated driving.