Robust Dynamic Control for ground vehicles incorporating AFS and RTV systems with adaptive gain estimators

Abstract

This paper presents a novel Robust Dynamic Control framework for Ground Vehicles that combines Active Front Steering (AFS) and Rear Torque Vectoring (RTV) systems with a High-Order Sliding Mode (HOSM) estimator with Adaptive Gains. This integration represents the core innovation of this work, enabling accurate trajectory tracking and enhanced robustness against disturbances and parametric uncertainties. The AFS system enhances vehicle maneuverability by adjusting the front wheel steering angle, while the RTV system induces a corrective yaw moment in the rear wheels, enabling more precise control of the vehicle’s lateral dynamics. However, the lateral velocity is one of the most challenging variables to measure, even in modern vehicles, which is why a nonlinear observer is designed to reconstruct this velocity. With the information provided by the nonlinear observer and to ensure the robustness of the vehicle, the Active Robust Dynamic Control system guarantees the tracking of desired references, even in the presence of parametric variations and/or external disturbances, through High-Order Sliding Mode (HOSM) estimators with adaptive gains. The stability of the HOSM estimator is ensured through a Lyapunov-based approach. The Active Robust Dynamic Control framework, incorporating Adaptive Gains for the Estimation of Disturbances and Parameter Uncertainties in Ground Vehicles, is rigorously evaluated through CarSim simulations, considering a challenging double turn maneuver, which is described in the ISO–3888 specifications. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller in ensuring precise trajectory tracking and robust disturbance rejection, confirming its potential for real-world applications in advanced vehicular systems.