Unified decision-making and control for highway collision avoidance using active front steer and individual wheel torque control

ABSTRACT

Collision avoidance is a crucial function for all ground vehicles, and using integrated chassis systems to support the driver presents a growing opportunity in active safety. With actuators such as in-wheel electric motors, active front steer and individual wheel brake control, there is an opportunity to develop integrated chassis systems that fully support the driver in safety critical situations. Here we consider the scenario of an impending frontal collision with a stationary or slower moving vehicle in the same driving lane. Traditionally, researchers have approached the required collision avoidance manoeuver as a hierarchical scheme, which separates the decision-making, path planning and path tracking. In this context, a key decision is whether to perform straight-line braking, or steer to change lanes, or indeed perform combined braking and steering. This paper approaches the collision avoidance directly from the perspective of constrained dynamic optimisation, using a single optimisation procedure to cover these aspects within a single online optimisation scheme of model predictive control (MPC). While the new approach is demonstrated in the context of a fully autonomous safety system, it is expected that the same approach can incorporate driver inputs as additional constraints, yielding a flexible and coherent driver assistance system.     

车辆转弯制动横向轨迹控制驾驶员模型研究

为了较为真实地反映车辆转弯制动工况,建立了含Pacejka"魔术公式"非线性联合工况轮胎模型的4轮8自由度车辆系统模型,并基于预瞄跟随理论、加速度反馈控制和模糊PID控制技术建立了车辆转弯制动横向轨迹控制驾驶员模型。针对不同初始速度和制动强度,利用MATLAB/Simulink进行了横向轨迹控制仿真分析。分析结果表明,驾驶员控制模型能很好地跟踪横向轨迹,模型的可行性和有效性得到验证,同时不同仿真条件下结果的一致性也说明该控制方法具有较强的自适应能力和鲁棒性,为进一步研究复杂工况下的驾驶员模型及横向轨迹控制提供了一条可行的途径。     

Anti-Skid Braking of a Tractor-Semitrailer Truck

This paper describes a study of anti-skid braking and the effects of such braking on the handling behavior and braking performance of a tractor-semitrailer truck. The truck, represented by a digital computer model having fourteen degrees of freedom, is taken to be in a cornering maneuver that involves braking and driver steering. Conventional braking or one of three types of anti-skid braking is used in the maneuver. The results show that the effects of anti-skid braking on the handling behavior and braking performance of the truck are beneficial. The results also show that the behavior of the wheels and the handling behavior and braking performance of the truck depend on the type of anti-skid braking used.     

ISG hybrid powertrain: a rule-based driver model incorporating look-ahead information

According to European regulations, if the amount of regenerative braking is determined by the travel of the brake pedal, more stringent standards must be applied, otherwise it may adversely affect the existing vehicle safety system. The use of engine or vehicle speed to derive regenerative braking is one way to avoid strict design standards, but this introduces discontinuity in powertrain torque when the driver releases the acceleration pedal or applies the brake pedal. This is shown to cause oscillations in the pedal input and powertrain torque when a conventional driver model is adopted. Look-ahead information, together with other predicted vehicle states, are adopted to control the vehicle speed, in particular, during deceleration, and to improve the driver model so that oscillations can be avoided. The improved driver model makes analysis and validation of the control strategy for an integrated starter generator (ISG) hybrid powertrain possible.     

Anti-Skid Braking of a Tractor-Semitrailer Truck

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a study of anti-skid braking and the effects of such braking on the handling behavior and braking performance of a tractor-semitrailer truck. The truck, represented by a digital computer model having fourteen degrees of freedom, is taken to be in a cornering maneuver that involves braking and driver steering. Conventional braking or one of three types of anti-skid braking is used in the maneuver. The results show that the effects of anti-skid braking on the handling behavior and braking performance of the truck are beneficial. The results also show that the behavior of the wheels and the handling behavior and braking performance of the truck depend on the type of anti-skid braking used.     

Comprehensive lateral driver model for critical maneuvering conditions

A new comprehensive driver model is presented for critical maneuvering conditions with more accurate dynamic control performance. In order to achieve a safe maneuvering mode, a new path planning scheme to maintain stability of the vehicle was designed. A new steering strategy, considering the errors of vehicle position and yaw angle between the real track and the planned path, was established to obtain the steering angle. Therefore, the vehicle can be adjusted to accurately follow the desired path with the driver model, and the stability of the vehicle and the smoothness of the steering angle input were comprehensively considered. Simulation results were used to validate the control performance in comparison with the optimal preview driver model proposed by Macadam.     

Development of the brake system design program for a vehicle

It is quite challenging to estimate the braking performance of a vehicle because the brake system is comprised of many parts, including a booster, master cylinder, and caliper. Calculation of characteristics such as braking force through vehicle tests requires much time and money. Therefore, the development of a method to estimate the braking performance of a vehicle using qualitative methods is beneficial. In this study, a program that can analyze the braking capabilities of a vehicle such as pressure, efficiency, and pedal travel is presented. The increase in disc temperature during braking as well as the properties of various boosters can be calculated using the proposed program. Dynamic characteristics of a vehicle equipped with a Load Sensing Proportional Valve (LSPV) were computed more precisely by obtaining the change in valve pressure according to the displacement of a suspension system. Since all input and output files are composed in the Microsoft Excel format, both design data management and database construction can easily completed.     

Evaluation of preview G-Vectoring control to decelerate a vehicle prior to entry into a curve

This paper describes the development of the braking assistance system based on a “G-Vectoring” concept. The present work focuses in particular on “Preview G-Vectoring Control” (PGVC), which is based on the “G-Vectoring Control” (GVC) scheme. In GVC, the longitudinal-acceleration control algorithm is based on the actual lateral jerk. PGVC decelerates a vehicle before it enters a curve, and is based on a new longitudinal-acceleration control algorithm which uses predicted and actual lateral jerk. Using the predicted lateral jerk makes it possible to decelerate the vehicle prior to curve entry. This deceleration can emulate a driver’s deceleration as the vehicle approaches a curve entry. PGVC is based on such deceleration algorithms and enables automatic deceleration similar to the action of a driver. It is thus possible to significantly improve the driver’s feeling when this system is activated. Driving tests with this new control system on snowy-winding course confirmed that the automatic brake control quality improved considerably compared to manual driver control considering both lap time and ride quality. These results indicate that PGVC can be a useful braking assistance system not only to improve the driver’s handling performance but also to reduce the brake-task during driving on winding roads.     

A Pitch-Plane Model of a Vehicle with Controlled Suspension

A vehicle model incorporating front and rear wheel suspensions and seat suspension is presented. The suspension control includes algorithms to provide both dynamic and steady state (levelling) control. Vehicle response to (a) vertical inputs due to ground disturbances at the wheels and (b) longitudinal inputs due to the inertial forces during braking and accelerating, are investigated. It is shown that the static (self-levelling) control causes a slight deterioration in dynamic performance. The active ride control produces improvements of ride comfort under dynamic conditions compared to an equivalent passively suspended vehicle. In steady state the proposed control eliminates the error heave of the body caused by tilting of the vehicle with active suspension.     

汽车转弯制动性能的模拟计算

本文是一篇研究汽车转弯制动性能模拟计算方法的专题论文。首先建立了11自由度的汽车动力学模型,模拟转弯制动开环试验方法,建立了非线性微分方程组,其初始条件通过计算汽车作圆周运动时的稳态转向特性求出。文中详细地介绍了各有关参量的计算方法,然后用四阶龙格-库塔法求出微分方程组的数值解,因此能够详尽地描述和研究各重要参数的变化情况及其对转弯制动性能的影响。最后给出四个典型算例,用以说明计算的可信程度。     

Feedback brake distribution control for minimum pitch

The distribution of brake forces between front and rear axles of a vehicle is typically specified such that the same level of brake force coefficient is imposed at both front and rear wheels. This condition is known as ‘ideal’ distribution and it is required to deliver the maximum vehicle deceleration and minimum braking distance. For subcritical braking conditions, the deceleration demand may be delivered by different distributions between front and rear braking forces. In this research we show how to obtain the optimal distribution which minimises the pitch angle of a vehicle and hence enhances driver subjective feel during braking. A vehicle model including suspension geometry features is adopted. The problem of the minimum pitch brake distribution for a varying deceleration level demand is solved by means of a model predictive control (MPC) technique. To address the problem of the undesirable pitch rebound caused by a full-stop of the vehicle, a second controller is designed and implemented independently from the braking distribution in use. An extended Kalman filter is designed for state estimation and implemented in a high fidelity environment together with the MPC strategy. The proposed solution is compared with the reference ‘ideal’ distribution as well as another previous feed-forward solution.     

Advanced emergency braking under split friction conditions and the influence of a destabilising steering wheel torque

The steering system in most heavy trucks is such that it causes a destabilising steering wheel torque when braking on split friction, that is, different friction levels on the two sides of the vehicle. Moreover, advanced emergency braking systems are now mandatory in most heavy trucks, making vehicle-induced split friction braking possible. This imposes higher demands on understanding how the destabilising steering wheel torque affects the driver, which is the focus here. Firstly, an experiment has been carried out involving 24 subjects all driving a truck where automatic split friction braking was emulated. Secondly, an existing driver–vehicle model has been adapted and implemented to improve understanding of the observed outcome. A common conclusion drawn, after analysing results, is that the destabilising steering wheel torque only has a small effect on the motion of the vehicle. The underlying reason is a relatively slow ramp up of the disturbance in comparison to the observed cognitive delay amongst subjects; also the magnitude is low and initially suppressed by passive driver properties.     

Haptic steering support for driving near the vehicle’s handling limits; skid-pad case

Current vehicle dynamic control systems from simple yaw control to high-end active steering support systems are designed to primarily actuate on the vehicle itself, rather than stimulate the driver to adapt his/her inputs for better vehicle control. The driver though dictates the vehicle’s motion, and centralizing him/her in the control loop is hypothesized to promote safety and driving pleasure. Exploring the above statement, the goal of this study is to develop and evaluate a haptic steering support when driving near the vehicle’s handling limits (Haptic Support Near the Limits; HSNL). The support aims to promote the driver’s perception of the vehicle’s behaviour and handling capacity (the vehicle’s internal model) by providing haptic (torque) cues on the steering wheel. The HSNL has been evaluated in (a) driving simulator tests and (b) tests with a vehicle (Opel Astra G/B) equipped with a variable steering feedback torque system. Drivers attempted to achieve maximum velocity while trying to retain control in a circular skid-pad. In the simulator (a) 25 subjects drove a vehicle model parameterised as the Astra on a dry skid-pad while in (b) 17 subjects drove the real Astra on a wet skid-pad. Both the driving simulator and the real vehicle tests led to the conclusion that the HSNL assisted subjects to drive closer to the designated path while achieving effectively the same speed. With the HSNL the drivers operated the tires in smaller slip angles and hence avoided saturation of the front wheels’ lateral forces and excessive understeer. Finally, the HSNL reduced their mental and physical demand.     

Improvement of drivability and fuel economy with a hybrid antiskid braking system in hybrid electric vehicles

When braking on wet roads, Antilock Braking System (ABS) control can be triggered because the available brake torque is not sufficient. When the ABS system is active, for a hybrid electric vehicle, the regenerative brake is switched off to safeguard the normal ABS function. When the ABS control is terminated, it would be favorable to reactivate the regenerative brake. However, recurring cycles from ABS to motor regenerative braking could occur. This condition is felt to be unpleasant by the driver and has adverse effects on driving stability. In this paper, a novel hybrid antiskid braking system using fuzzy logic is proposed for a hybrid electric vehicle that has a regenerative braking system operatively connected to an electric traction motor and a separate hydraulic braking system. This control strategy and the method for coordination between regenerative and hydraulic braking are developed. The motor regenerative braking controller is designed. Control of regenerative and hydraulic braking force distribution is investigated. The simulation and experimental results show that vehicle braking performance and fuel economy can be improved and the proposed control strategy and method are effective and robust.     

A practical identifier design of road variations for anti-lock brake system

Emergency brake technologies have always been a major interest of vehicle active safety-related studies. On homogeneous surfaces, traditional anti-lock brake system (ABS) can achieve efficient braking performance and maintain the handling capability as well. However, when road conditions are time variant during the braking process, or different at the bilateral wheels, braking stability performance is likely to be degraded. To address this problem and enhance ABS performances, a practical identifier of road variations is developed in this study. The proposed identifier adopts a statechart-based approach and is hierarchically constructed with a wheel layer and a full vehicle layer identifier. Based on the identification results, modifications are made to a four-phase wheel-behaviour-based ABS controller to enhance its performance. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed identifier in collaborating with the modified ABS controller are examined via simulations and further validated by track tests under various practical braking scenarios.     

基于线性路径跟踪控制的换道避撞控制策略研究

为实现车辆自主避撞,改善道路交通安全状况,提出一种基于线性路径跟踪控制的换道避撞控制策略。为实时确定制动和换道时机,获取跟车状态下自车和前车车速、加速度、相对距离以及驾驶人制动反应时间计算制动安全距离和换道安全距离,并在此基础上分别引入制动危险系数B和换道危险系数S评估制动与换道风险,使得车辆发生追尾碰撞的危险程度和主动干预阈值更直观。根据车辆期望横向加速度和期望横向位移的变化特性,采用5次多项式法规划符合驾驶人换道避撞特性的避撞路径。为保证换道避撞过程中驾驶人的安全舒适,采用最大横向加速度约束换道避撞轨迹。为实现对换道避撞路径的线性跟踪控制,保证车辆的操纵稳定性和横摆稳定性,基于车辆稳态动力学模型建立前馈控制,结合线性反馈控制消除换道路径的位置和横摆角偏差,修正参考路径实现直车道场景追尾避撞控制。仿真和实车交叉验证试验表明：根据车辆期望横向加速度和期望横向位移建立的符合驾驶人换道避撞特性的五次多项式换道路径与驾驶人实际换道避撞路径基本吻合,结合碰撞时间和车间时距的制动避撞控制策略能够在保证车辆行驶安全舒适性的同时有效避免车辆追尾碰撞,减少交通事故的发生。     

Time-optimal control of the race car: a numerical method to emulate the ideal driver

A numerical method for the time-optimal control of the race car is presented. The method is then used to perform the role of the driver in numerical simulations of manoeuvres at the limit of race car performance. The method does not attempt to model the driver but rather replaces the driver with methods normally associated with numerical optimal control. The method simultaneously finds the optimal driven line and the driver control inputs (steer, throttle and brake) to drive this line in minimum time. In principle, the method is capable of operation with arbitrarily complex vehicle models as it requires only limited access to the vehicle model state vector. It also requires solution of the differential equation representing the vehicle model in only the forward time direction and is hence capable of simulating the full vehicle transient response.     

Nonlinear optimal integrated vehicle control using individual braking torque and steering angle with on-line control allocation by using state-dependent Riccati equation technique

This paper proposes the solution of state-dependent Riccati equation as a nonlinear optimal regulator to stabilise the motion dynamics of the vehicle model subjected to sudden disturbance inputs in the lateral direction. The proposed nonlinear regulator coordinates individually actuated wheel braking torque and steering wheel angle simultaneously in an optimal manner. Performance criteria are satisfied by solving the Riccati equation based on the given cost function subjected to the nonlinear vehicle dynamics. On-line control allocation in terms of optimal brake torque distribution enhanced by optimal wheel steering angle input is achieved. Furthermore, the proposed optimal nonlinear regulator is an active fault-tolerant control system against partial by-wire actuator failures while guaranteeing stability with good performance due to its capability to allocate the individual control inputs in an optimal way. The main aim is to stabilise the motion dynamics of the vehicle model during short-term emergency situations along the desired straight trajectory manageable by average drivers and to provide vehicle stability and handling predictability through the interaction of individual wheel braking and steering actuators. Simulation results are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.     

Steering disturbance rejection using a physics-based neuromusculoskeletal driver model

The aim of this work is to develop a comprehensive yet practical driver model to be used in studying driver–vehicle interactions. Drivers interact with their vehicle and the road through the steering wheel. This interaction forms a closed-loop coupled human–machine system, which influences the driver's steering feel and control performance. A hierarchical approach is proposed here to capture the complexity of the driver's neuromuscular dynamics and the central nervous system in the coordination of the driver's upper extremity activities, especially in the presence of external disturbance. The proposed motor control framework has three layers: the first (or the path planning) plans a desired vehicle trajectory and the required steering angles to perform the desired trajectory; the second (or the musculoskeletal controller) actuates the musculoskeletal arm to rotate the steering wheel accordingly; and the final layer ensures the precision control and disturbance rejection of the motor control units. The physics-based driver model presented here can also provide insights into vehicle control in relaxed and tensed driving conditions, which are simulated by adjusting the driver model parameters such as cognition delay and muscle co-contraction dynamics.     

驾驶机器人车辆动态制动力矩补偿

为了减小长期自动驾驶过程中制动性能下降带来的影响,提出了一种驾驶机器人车辆动态制动力矩补偿方法。首先建立了以车速和制动踏板力为输入,制动力矩为输出的驾驶机器人车辆制动性能离线自学习模型。然后考虑到驾驶机器人车辆长期自动驾驶导致离线自学习模型可靠性下降,建立了以车速和制动踏板力为输入,制动力矩为输出的扩展自回归在线辨识模型,并采用模糊变遗忘因子递推最小二乘法进行参数辨识。模糊变遗忘因子递推最小二乘法通过引入遗忘因子的方式,对数据施加时变加权系数,以避免出现数据增长导致的数据饱和现象。模糊变遗忘因子控制器以制动力矩辨识误差为输入,经模糊规则推理实时输出合适的遗忘因子进行参数辨识,能够有效均衡驾驶机器人车辆制动性能参数辨识的稳定性与收敛速度。驾驶机器人车辆自动驾驶过程中,根据当前车速与目标车速的大小计算出所需的制动力矩,加上反馈回来的制动力矩误差,并结合当前时刻的车速,利用制动性能离线自学习模型与机械腿逆向运动学模型实时计算出制动电机输出位移量,实现对驾驶机器人车辆制动力矩的在线补偿。仿真与试验结果表明:利用所提出的方法对车辆动态制动力矩进行辨识时,通过调节遗忘因子,辨识结果能够快速收敛且辨识误差较小。在此基础上,控制驾驶机器人车辆进行纵向车速跟踪时,能够有效减小制动性能下降造成的影响,保证控制车速跟踪误差在±1km·h-1之内。