PL-TOON Platform

PL-TOON (Programmable Low-cost Train platOON) is an experimental platform for research and teaching in vehicle formation control and platooning. It has been used in courses at UTFSM, UTEM, and UAI since 2020.

Hardware

• Model trains driven by 9 V DC motors on a 3D-printed chassis
• One WiFi-capable microcontroller (ESP32) per train, with sensors, battery, and drive circuitry
• Each train measures its own velocity and the distance to its predecessor

Software and Communication

• Local PID control loops on each microcontroller
• Decentralized communication between trains over MQTT
• Wireless supervision, data acquisition, and on-the-fly parameter configuration
• A phone-based laboratory mode in which each train hosts its own web dashboard, so a lab session needs no laptop

Research and Teaching Use

• Experimental validation of string stability and formation control results for one-dimensional platoons
• Remote and in-person control laboratories for undergraduate courses

Resources

The code is open source: github.com/pl-toon/pl-toon-codes.

For more information, contact andres.peters@uai.cl.