Fully Distributed Protocols for Heterogeneous Multiagent Systems in Graphical Games

Within the framework of differential graphical games, this paper investigates the leader-following output consensus problem for fully heterogeneous multiagent systems, where each follower incorporates both the influence of its own policy on its utility and that of its neighbors’ policies. To achieve output consensus, we design a novel fully distributed estimator-based control protocol without requiring prior knowledge of global network topology. Specifically, the fully distributed estimator is formulated through a graphical game perspective, modeling agent-neighbor interactions as zero-sum conflicts, to overcome the fragility of cooperative estimation in adversarial or resource-constrained environments. By employing min-max strategies, each agent can robustly optimize its local estimation policy against neighbors’ worst-case policies. To demonstrate the applicability of this approach to intelligent transportation networks, we develop a corresponding fully distributed platooning control algorithm that ensures coordinated motion of heterogeneous connected vehicles. Finally, numerical simulations and real-world experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed protocols.