Title: Scaled vehicle system dynamics and control: a case study in anti-lock braking

Authors: Raul G. Longoria, Amrou Al-Sharif, Chinmaya B. Patil

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

Abstract: This paper describes how a scaled vehicle system can be used to facilitate prototyping of vehicle control systems. Essential concepts in similitude and scaling are briefly reviewed and the application in past and future use of scaled vehicles is evaluated, particularly emphasising issues relevant to vehicle autonomous systems. The development of a 1/5th scale laboratory vehicle testbed is presented as a case study. Integration and evaluation of an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and controller on the scaled vehicle are described, contrasting the subsystem models, simulations, and experimental test results. Scaled systems can be effectively used to evaluate and simulate critical stages in vehicle design and virtual prototyping procedures by giving proper consideration to dynamic similarity. Making sure that the tyre-surface interaction in scaled systems exhibit characteristics similar to those observed in full-scale systems is especially emphasised, and results from laboratory testing confirms this similarity.

Keywords: anti-lock braking; scaled vehicle testing; scaled vehicles; vehicle control; ABS; tyre-surface interaction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVAS.2004.004454

International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 2004 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.18 - 39

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

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