Efficient Hub-Based Platooning Management Considering the Uncertainty of Information

Platooning technology, which reduces fuel consumption by decreasing aerodynamic drag, is emerging as a key solution for enhancing road efficiency and environmental sustainability in logistics. Conventional vehicle-to-vehicle communication has limitations when forming platoons across multiple trucking companies. To overcome these limitations, a hub-based platooning system has been proposed, enabling coordinated vehicle platoons through hubs distributed along highways. This study develops a mathematical model to optimize platoon formation at hubs, considering the reality that uncertainty in vehicle arrival times can be resolved as vehicles approach the hub and use vehicle-to-hub communication. The model applies robust optimization techniques to consider worst-case vehicle arrival scenarios and examine how the range of data exchange points—where exact arrival times become known—affects platoon efficiency. Numerical experiments demonstrate that if the range of data exchange points is sufficiently wide, optimal efficiency can be achieved even under uncertainty. Sensitivity analysis also confirms that reducing uncertainty enhances energy savings efficiency. This study provides practical insights into forming vehicle platoons in uncertain environments, contributing to the economic and environmental benefits of the logistics industry. Future studies could extend the model to multiple hubs and consider stochastic disruptions, such as communication failures.