Development of a navigation algorithm with dead reckoning for unmanned ground vehicles

A navigation algorithm is indispensable for Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs). During driving, UGVs follow a global path. In this study, we propose a navigation algorithm using Real Time Kinematic (RTK)-Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) units and encoders to complement global path planning. Sometimes GPS systems lose their signals and receive inaccurate position data due to many factors, such as edifice and barrier obstructions. This paper shows that GPS deviations can be solved using a Dead Reckoning (DR) navigation method with encoders and that position errors can be decreased through the use of RTK-DGPS units. In addition to this method, we will introduce a new waypoint update algorithm and a steering algorithm using RTK-DGPS units.     

License plate extraction method for identification of vehicle violations at a railway level crossing

The primary cause of most railroad accidents is vehicle entry into railway level crossings despite warning messages. To identify drivers who violate railway level crossing regulations, vehicle license plate recognition can be applied at railway level crossings. The purpose of this paper is to present an effective method for extracting the license plate region from vehicle images taken at railway level crossings. The method proposed in this paper uses the variation in the gray-level values across the image of a license plate. For license plate region extraction, the character region is first recognized by identifying the character width and the difference between the background region and the character region. The license plate region is then extracted by finding the inter-character distance in the plate region. In addition, the license plate type is identified by the difference in the gray-level value between the background region and the character region. The proposed method is effective in solving the current challenges in extracting the license plate region from the damaged frames of license plates issued for domestic use, including new types of license plates. According to the experimental results, the proposed method yields a high extraction rate of 99.5% for vehicle license plates.     

Performance optimization of CVT for two-wheeled vehicles

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is one of the most promising automotive transmission technologies because of its continuously variable gear ratio and reduced shift shock. CVT is different from Manual Transmission and Automatic Transmission, and it is possible to operate the power source in its high efficiency region with CVT in the drive train. Several types of CVT exist that can be categorized based on the mechanism of power transmission, such as the belt pulley, traction drive, and hydrostatic types. This paper investigates the belt pulley CVT, which consists of a thrust actuator, driver pulley, belt, driven pulley, and preload spring of the output shaft. A complete CVT is constructed, and based on that a simulation program that analyzes the static performance of a CVT is implemented in Matlab/Simulink. From these simulation results, methods for improving the efficiency of the CVT are discussed. The coefficient of the torque capacity factor is proposed as affecting the matching between a power source and a CVT, and methods for improving the matching effect are also investigated.     

Effect of fuel stratification on initial flame development: Part 3-high swirl condition

This paper discusses the final investigation into the effect of fuel stratification on flame propagation. In previous works, the characteristics under the no port-generated swirl condition and the low-swirl condition were considered. For this purpose, the initial flame development and propagation were visualized under different axially stratified states in a modified optical single-cylinder SI engine. The images were captured by an intensified CCD camera through the quartz window mounted in the piston. Stratification was controlled by the combination of the port swirl ratio and injection timing. These were averaged and processed to characterize the flame propagation. The flame stability was estimated by the weighted average of flame area and luminosity. The stability was also evaluated through the standard deviation of flame area and propagation distance and through the mean absolute deviation of the propagation direction. The results show that the LML is expanded remarkably under the high-swirl cases up to the highest relative AFRs of 1.71 and 1.75 between 140 and 160CA. In addition, similar to the low-swirl condition, the flame-flow interaction determines the direction of flame propagation, and the governing roles of the two factors vary according to the swirl level; the flow is more important at the higher swirl conditions, and the flame is more important at the lower swirl condition. Finally, fast and stable flame propagation can be achieved under the preferably stratified condition, which is induced by the suitable combination of the high swirl and injection timing.     

Quality evaluation of car window motors using sound quality metrics

In this paper, a method to establish a decision criterion to evaluate the quality of small window motors using sound quality (SQ) metrics is suggested. Although the sound level radiated from the motor is relatively small compared to other sounds in a car, the sound from an abnormal motor gives an uncomfortable feeling and the impression of abnormal operation, which can lead to customer complaints. To construct an objective decision criterion, the correlation between the SQ metrics and the subjective decision on the passing or failure of the motor were investigated. Four representative SQ metrics, viz., loudness, sharpness, roughness, and fluctuation strength, were calculated for the collected samples. It was observed that the loudness and roughness of the motor sample group classified as abnormal was higher than those of the normal motors. For a single figure rating for motor quality, an evaluation index for the motor sound was generated by combining the correlated SQ metrics with proper weightings. Evaluation results on the specimens that were not employed in generating the quality evaluation index showed a reasonable agreement with the subjective test at 73%. The suggested quality check method can replace the current subjective decision procedure to identify the faulty motors.     

Piston-temperature measuring system using electromagnetic induction with verification by a telemetry system

The development of an inner-piston-chamber temperature measurement system is a necessary step in engine development or when solving other fundamental problems related to automotive engines. There are various pre-existing measurement methods available, e.g., the linkage method, piston telemetry, templog, and the electromagnetic induction method. In this study, we first redesigned the coil sensor used in the electromagnetic induction method using PEEK and then used Taguchi methods to reduce the number of experiments in the development process and finally utilized piston telemetry via Bluetooth to verify the precision and accuracy of the redesigned PEEK coil sensor and electromagnetic induction method. The results displayed a reproducibility within 0.5 degrees and an accuracy within 2 degrees Celsius.     

Development of hot stamped center pillar using form die with channel type indirect blank holder

The hot stamping process has been used in the automotive industry to reduce the weight of the body-in-white and to increase passenger safety via improved crashworthiness. However, defects such as fracture and wrinkle occur when hot stamping is performed using a conventional drawing or forming method. In this study, a channel-type indirect blank holder (CIBH) is proposed to develop a high-strength center pillar in form-type hot stamping, so that the aforementioned drawbacks are overcome. This type of blank holder plays an important role in reducing severe wrinkling at the flange; such wrinkling leads to folding after the completion of form-type hot-stamping. First, we investigated the effect of the channel shape on the indirect blank holding force by using a simplified two-dimensional plane-strain stamping process. Second, we selected the slope angle and corner radius of the channel as the main shape parameters by finite element analysis and artificial neural network (ANN). It is known that fracture at the hot formed wall and wrinkle at the flange are significantly affected by the slope angle of the channel, and the appropriate value for eliminating fracture and wrinkle is determined to be 99°. By performing hot stamping using a form die with the selected channel, we can manufacture a high-strength center pillar without wrinkle and fracture.     

Driver steering and muscle activity during a lane-change manoeuvre

The article reports an experimental study of driver steering control behaviour in a lane-change manoeuvre. Eight test subjects were instrumented with electromyography to measure muscle activation and co-contraction. Each subject completed 30 lane-change manoeuvres with one vehicle on a fixed-base driving simulator. For each driver, the steering torque feedback characteristic was changed after every ten manoeuvres; the response of the vehicle to steering angle inputs was not changed. Drivers' control strategies were found to be robust to changes in steering torque feedback. Path-following errors, muscle activity and muscle co-contraction all reduce with the number of lane-changes performed by the driver, suggesting the existence of a learning process. Comparing the test subjects, there was some evidence that high levels of co-contraction were used to allow high-frequency steering inputs to be generated. The results contribute to the understanding of vehicle-driver (and more generally, human-machine) dynamic interaction.     

Analysis of the shifting behavior of a novel clutchless geared smart transmission

Conventional geared transmissions use some kinds of clutches to control the power flow from an internal combustion engine to the driveline while shifting gears. However, the shifting performance is seriously affected by the clutch engagement and an unavoidable drop in the torque may occur when the clutch is disconnected. Moreover, wear of the clutch, the need for hydraulic equipment, and the load limit may together aggravate the limits of the clutch system. For this reason, as a novel transmission without a clutch, the clutchless geared smart transmission (henceforth CGST) is proposed by our research team. The CGST controls the power flow in a multiple-input gear-train by controlling the electric motor attached to the planetary gear system. However, no CGST has been realized in an actual vehicle thus far, and the performance has been predicted only theoretically. In this research, we analyzed the achievable performance based on a developed CGST dynamic model with a typical CGST structure. In addition, a CGST gear-shifting algorithm is proposed for use with the dynamic model. From the simulation results, the CGST does not show an abrupt drop in its torque or oscillation while shifting gears due to the absence of a discontinuous power flow. The developed dynamic model can serve as a performance reference for the CGST. Moreover, it can be used as a simulation tool for developing a gear-shifting control logic scheme.     

Impact of hilly road information on fuel economy of FCHEV based on parameterization of hilly roads

Under real-life driving conditions, hilly roads are prevalent. Hilly road profile substantially influences fuel economy (FE) due to large impacts (increase or decrease) on power demand profile. Thus, the utilization of future altitude profile information has large potential to improve FE. In this paper, for optimal energy management of fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEV), we investigate how much FE could potentially be improved when future altitude profile information is available. In particular, the simulation results are analyzed to justify the reason for this potential improvement and to identify which characteristics of hilly roads leads to large FE improvements. First of all, four statistical parameters are defined to characterize hilly roads: mean value, standard deviation (STD), distance interval (DI), and total distance. Then, several types of virtual hilly roads are generated based on various parameter combinations. In order to evaluate the potential FE improvement two energy management strategies (EMSs) are utilized: the first is Dynamic Programming, which evaluates the globally optimal FE when future hilly road information is available; the other is the Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) with adaptive equivalent factor for charge-sustenance, which represents the baseline EMS when future hilly road information is not available. The results show that downhill roads have much larger potential than uphill roads do for FE improvements when the future altitude profile is properly used for EMS. Furthermore, if the battery capacity is not large enough to handle the difference in potential energy, future hilly road information is more important to prevent violations of the maximum state-of-charge bound.