Title: Development of an optimal driver command interpreter for vehicle dynamics control

Authors: Tianjun Zhu; Amir Khajepour; Avesta Goodarzi; Shih-Ken Chen; Bakhtiar Litkouhi

Addresses: Department of Vehicle Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Hebei, China; Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada ' Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada ' Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada ' General Motors Company, Global Research & Development, Warren, USA ' General Motors Company, Global Research & Development, Warren, USA

Abstract: This paper introduces a new driver command interpreter (DCI) for vehicle dynamics control, providing optimal calculation of desired CG forces and moments based on driver inputs and road conditions. The proposed DCI is established based on principles of optimal linear quadratic regulator (LQR) theory and vehicle dynamics. The optimal feed-forward and feedback gains of proposed DCI can be updated in real time by online matrix calculation. Analytical simulations and experimental test results under various driving conditions are presented to evaluate the proposed DCI and vehicle dynamics control system. The simulation and experimental results indicate that the vehicle dynamics control system using the proposed DCI can effectively stabilise the vehicle motion and improve the vehicle handling under critical driving conditions.

Keywords: driver command interpreter; vehicle dynamics; vehicle control; linear quadratic regulator; LQR; experimental testing; simulation; vehicle autonomous systems; vehicle stability; vehicle handling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVAS.2015.070731

International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 2015 Vol.13 No.1, pp.43 - 64

Received: 02 Jun 2014
Accepted: 09 Jan 2015
Published online: 22 Jul 2015 *

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