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1 – 10 of 164
Article
Publication date: 12 August 2019

Kanwar Bharat Singh

The vehicle sideslip angle is an important state of vehicle lateral dynamics and its knowledge is crucial for the successful implementation of advanced driver-assistance systems…

Abstract

Purpose

The vehicle sideslip angle is an important state of vehicle lateral dynamics and its knowledge is crucial for the successful implementation of advanced driver-assistance systems. Measuring the vehicle sideslip angle on a production vehicle is challenging because of the exorbitant price of a physical sensor. This paper aims to present a novel framework for virtually sensing/estimating the vehicle sideslip angle. The desired level of accuracy for the estimator is to be within +/− 0.2 degree of the actual sideslip angle of the vehicle. This will make the precision of the proposed estimator at par with expensive commercially available sensors used for physically measuring the vehicle sideslip angle.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed estimator uses an adaptive tire model in conjunction with a model-based observer. The performance of the estimator is evaluated through experimental tests on a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

Findings

Detailed experimental results show that the developed system can reliably estimate the vehicle sideslip angle during both steady state and transient maneuvers, within the desired accuracy levels.

Originality/value

This paper presents a novel framework for vehicle sideslip angle estimation. The presented framework combines an adaptive tire model, an unscented Kalman filter-based axle force observer and data from tire mounted sensors. Tire model adaptation is achieved by making extensions to the magic formula, by accounting for variations in the tire inflation pressure, load, tread-depth and temperature. Predictions with the adapted tire model were validated by running experiments on the Flat-Trac® machine. The benefits of using an adaptive tire model for sideslip angle estimation are demonstrated through experimental tests. The performance of the observer is satisfactory, in both transient and steady state maneuvers. Future work will focus on measuring tire slip angle and road friction information using tire mounted sensors and using that information to further enhance the robustness of the vehicle sideslip angle observer.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 40 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 October 2021

Cong Li, YunFeng Xie, Gang Wang, XianFeng Zeng and Hui Jing

This paper studies the lateral stability regulation of intelligent electric vehicle (EV) based on model predictive control (MPC) algorithm.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper studies the lateral stability regulation of intelligent electric vehicle (EV) based on model predictive control (MPC) algorithm.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the bicycle model is adopted in the system modelling process. To improve the accuracy, the lateral stiffness of front and rear tire is estimated using the real-time yaw rate acceleration and lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on the vehicle dynamics. Then the constraint of input and output in the model predictive controller is designed. Soft constraints on the lateral speed of the vehicle are designed to guarantee the solved persistent feasibility and enforce the vehicle’s sideslip angle within a safety range.

Findings

The simulation results show that the proposed lateral stability controller based on the MPC algorithm can improve the handling and stability performance of the vehicle under complex working conditions.

Originality/value

The MPC schema and the objective function are established. The integrated active front steering/direct yaw moments control strategy is simultaneously adopted in the model. The vehicle’s sideslip angle is chosen as the constraint and is controlled in stable range. The online estimation of tire stiffness is performed. The vehicle’s lateral acceleration and the yaw rate acceleration are modelled into the two-degree-of-freedom equation to solve the tire cornering stiffness in real time. This can ensure the accuracy of model.

Details

Journal of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles, vol. 4 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2399-9802

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 October 2023

Zhizhong Guo, Fei Liu, Yuze Shang, Zhe Li and Ping Qin

This research aims to present a novel cooperative control architecture designed specifically for roads with variations in height and curvature. The primary objective is to enhance…

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to present a novel cooperative control architecture designed specifically for roads with variations in height and curvature. The primary objective is to enhance the longitudinal and lateral tracking accuracy of the vehicle.

Design/methodology/approach

In addressing the challenges posed by time-varying road information and vehicle dynamics parameters, a combination of model predictive control (MPC) and active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is employed in this study. A coupled controller based on the authors’ model was developed by utilizing the capabilities of MPC and ADRC. Emphasis is placed on the ramifications of road undulations and changes in curvature concerning control effectiveness. Recognizing these factors as disturbances, measures are taken to offset their influences within the system. Load transfer due to variations in road parameters has been considered and integrated into the design of the authors’ synergistic architecture.

Findings

The framework's efficacy is validated through hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Experimental results show that the integrated controller is more robust than conventional MPC and PID controllers. Consequently, the integrated controller improves the vehicle's driving stability and safety.

Originality/value

The proposed coupled control strategy notably enhances vehicle stability and reduces slip concerns. A tailored model is introduced integrating a control strategy based on MPC and ADRC which takes into account vertical and longitudinal force variations and allowing it to effectively cope with complex scenarios and multifaceted constraints problems.

Article
Publication date: 13 October 2021

Liang Su, Zhenpo Wang and Chao Chen

The purpose of this study is to propose a torque vectoring control system for improving the handling stability of distributed drive electric buses under complicated driving…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a torque vectoring control system for improving the handling stability of distributed drive electric buses under complicated driving conditions. Energy crisis and environment pollution are two key pressing issues faced by mankind. Pure electric buses are recognized as the effective method to solve the problems. Distributed drive electric buses (DDEBs) as an emerging mode of pure electric buses are attracting intense research interests around the world. Compared with the central driven electric buses, DDEB is able to control the driving and braking torque of each wheel individually and accurately to significantly enhance the handling stability. Therefore, the torque vectoring control (TVC) system is proposed to allocate the driving torque among four wheels reasonably to improve the handling stability of DDEBs.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed TVC system is designed based on hierarchical control. The upper layer is direct yaw moment controller based on feedforward and feedback control. The feedforward control algorithm is designed to calculate the desired steady-state yaw moment based on the steering wheel angle and the longitudinal velocity. The feedback control is anti-windup sliding mode control algorithm, which takes the errors between actual and reference yaw rate as the control variables. The lower layer is torque allocation controller, including economical torque allocation control algorithm and optimal torque allocation control algorithm.

Findings

The steady static circular test has been carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness and control effort of the proposed TVC system. Compared with the field experiment results of tested bus with TVC system and without TVC system, the slip angle of tested bus with TVC system is much less than without TVC. And the actual yaw rate of tested bus with TVC system is able to track the reference yaw rate completely. The experiment results demonstrate that the TVC system has a remarkable performance in the real practice and improve the handling stability effectively.

Originality/value

In view of the large load transfer, the strong coupling characteristics of tire , the suspension and the steering system during coach corning, the vehicle reference steering characteristics is defined considering vehicle nonlinear characteristics and the feedforward term of torque vectoring control at different steering angles and speeds is designed. Meanwhile, in order to improve the robustness of controller, an anti-integral saturation sliding mode variable structure control algorithm is proposed as the feedback term of torque vectoring control.

Article
Publication date: 1 June 1966

I.L. McGrath

A design study is carried out for an air cushion vehicle based on a specification giving it a performance comparable with cars of similar power and size, and compatible with…

Abstract

A design study is carried out for an air cushion vehicle based on a specification giving it a performance comparable with cars of similar power and size, and compatible with current road conditions. Preliminary examination of requirements leads to the adoption of a plenum chamber lift system and ducted fan propulsion, powered by a single piston engine. Care is taken to provide the vehicle with the responsive and accurate control necessary on the road. Performance calculations are carried out, enabling it to be compared with wheeled road vehicles. It is found that its cruising speed and fuel economy are better than its wheeled counterpart, due to the low resistance to motion offered by the air cushion, while its turning performance is definitely inferior.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 38 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Article
Publication date: 26 March 2021

Xianyi Xie, Lisheng Jin, Guo Baicang and Jian Shi

This study aims to propose an improved linear quadratic regulator (LQR) based on the adjusting weight coefficient, which is used to improve the performance of the vehicle direct…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to propose an improved linear quadratic regulator (LQR) based on the adjusting weight coefficient, which is used to improve the performance of the vehicle direct yaw moment control (DYC) system.

Design/methodology/approach

After analyzing the responses of the side-slip angle and the yaw rate of the vehicle when driving under different road adhesion coefficients, the genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic theory were applied to design the parameter regulator for an improved LQR. This parameter regulator works according to the changes in the road adhesion coefficient between the tires and the road. Hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) tests with double-lane changes under low and high road surface adhesion coefficients were carried out.

Findings

The HiL test results demonstrate the proposed controllers’ effectiveness and reasonableness and satisfy the real-time requirement. The effectiveness of the proposed controller was also proven using the vehicle-handling stability objective evaluation method.

Originality/value

The objective evaluation results reveal better performance using the improved LQR DYC controller than a front wheel steering vehicle, especially in reducing driver fatigue, improving vehicle-handling stability and enhancing driving safety.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 48 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2018

He Zhang, Shaowei Yang and Zhengfeng Ma

Existing three-dimensional (3D) road-surface models use approximation methods such as a set of discrete triangular patches and cannot accurately describe changes in the…

Abstract

Purpose

Existing three-dimensional (3D) road-surface models use approximation methods such as a set of discrete triangular patches and cannot accurately describe changes in the geometrically designed elements along the road. This paper aims to construct a 3D road-surface model with combinations of geometric design invariants and apply the proposed model to analyse the state of motion of a wheel’s centre.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the 3D road surface is modelled as a continuous function with combinations of geometric design invariants. By introducing the theories of differential geometries and rigid body dynamics, a wheel-road model wherein a wheel fixed to a Darboux frame moves along a curved road surface is constructed, and the wheel time-dependent properties of the velocity, angular velocity and acceleration at an arbitrary point of the surface are described using road geometry design invariants.

Findings

This paper adopts the Darboux frame to study the instantaneous spin-rolling motion of a wheel. It is found that the magnitudes of the spin-rolling velocity, the acceleration and the geometric invariants of the road surface, including the geodesic curvature, the normal curvature and the geodesic torsion, determine the instantaneous states of motion of a wheel.

Originality/value

This work provides a theoretical foundation for future studies of wheel motion states, such as the relationship between road geometry design invariants and driving safety, vehicle lane changing and other vehicle microbehaviours. New insights are gained in the areas of road safety and vehicles incorporating artificial intelligence.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 35 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 March 2022

Yunfei Li, Shengbo Eben Li, Xingheng Jia, Shulin Zeng and Yu Wang

The purpose of this paper is to reduce the difficulty of model predictive control (MPC) deployment on FPGA so that researchers can make better use of FPGA technology for academic…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reduce the difficulty of model predictive control (MPC) deployment on FPGA so that researchers can make better use of FPGA technology for academic research.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the MPC algorithm is written into FPGA by combining hardware with software. Experiments have verified this method.

Findings

This paper implements a ZYNQ-based design method, which could significantly reduce the difficulty of development. The comparison with the CPU solution results proves that FPGA has a significant acceleration effect on the solution of MPC through the method.

Research limitations implications

Due to the limitation of practical conditions, this paper cannot carry out a hardware-in-the-loop experiment for the time being, instead of an open-loop experiment.

Originality value

This paper proposes a new design method to deploy the MPC algorithm to the FPGA, reducing the development difficulty of the algorithm implementation on FPGA. It greatly facilitates researchers in the field of autonomous driving to carry out FPGA algorithm hardware acceleration research.

Details

Journal of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2399-9802

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2017

Shawn S. Keshmiri, Edward Lan and Richard Hale

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the accuracy of linear and quasi-steady aerodynamic models of aircraft aerodynamic models when a small unmanned aerial system flies in the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the accuracy of linear and quasi-steady aerodynamic models of aircraft aerodynamic models when a small unmanned aerial system flies in the presence of strong wind and gust at a high angle of attack and a high sideslip angle.

Design/methodology/approach

Compatibility analysis were done to improve the quality of recorded flight test data. A robust method called fuzzy logic modeling is used to set up the aerodynamic models. The reduced frequency is used to represent the unsteadiness of the flow field according to Theodorsen’s theory. The work done by the aerodynamic moments on the motions is used as the criteria of stability.

Findings

In portions of flight, aircraft’s stability and control derivatives were unstable and nonlinear functions of airflow angles and angular rates. The roll angle had an important effect on unsteadiness of directional oscillatory damping derivatives. The pilot-induced oscillation and wing rock possibilities were investigated and dismissed so that the lateral directional oscillatory motion was classified as a nonlinear Dutch roll oscillation. Major modeling enhancements or real-time parameter identification are required for the control of a small unmanned aerial system in off-nominal conditions. The robustness tests of all-weather autopilot systems must be done with consideration of sign change.

Originality/value

Oscillatory damping derivatives were reconstructed using flight test data and the inadequacy of engineering level software in predicting this type of instability observed and demonstrated for a flight in the presence of wind shear and external disturbances.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 89 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 May 2019

Francisco Valero, Francisco Rubio, Antonio José Besa and Carlos Llopis-Albert

The purpose is to create an algorithm that optimizes the trajectories that an autonomous vehicle must follow to reduce its energy consumption and reduce the emission of greenhouse…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose is to create an algorithm that optimizes the trajectories that an autonomous vehicle must follow to reduce its energy consumption and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

Design/methodology/approach

An algorithm is presented that respects the dynamic constraints of the robot, including the characteristics of power delivery by the motor, the behaviour of the tires and the basic inertial parameters. Using quadratic sequential programming with distributed and non-monotonous search direction (Quadratic Programming Algorithm with Distributed and Non-Monotone Line Search), an optimization algorithm proposed and developed by Professor K. Schittkowski is implemented.

Findings

Relations between important operating variables have been obtained, such as the evolution of the autonomous vehicle’s velocity, the driving torque supplied by the engine and the forces acting on the tires. In a subsequent analysis, the aim is to analyse the relationship between trajectory made and energy consumed and calculate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Also this method has been checked against another different methodology commented on in the references.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation comes from the modelling that has been done. As greater is the mechanical systems analysed, more simplifying hypotheses should be introduced to solve the corresponding equations with the current computers. However, the solutions are obtained and they can be used qualitatively to draw conclusions.

Practical implications

One main objective is to obtain guidelines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption in the realization of autonomous vehicles’ trajectories. The first step to achieve that is to obtain a good model of the autonomous vehicle that takes into account not only its kinematics but also its dynamic properties, and to propose an optimization process that allows to minimize the energy consumed. In this paper, important relationships between work variables have been obtained.

Social implications

The idea is to be friendly with nature and the environment. This algorithm can help by reducing an instance of greenhouse gases.

Originality/value

Originality comes from the fact that we not only look for the autonomous vehicle’s modelling, the simulation of its motion and the analysis of its working parameters, but also try to obtain from its working those guidelines that are useful to reduce the energy consumed and the contamination capability of these autonomous vehicles or car-like robots.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 46 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

1 – 10 of 164