Active steering unit with integrated ACC for X-by-wire vehicles using a joystick as H.M.I

Drive-by-wire systems have been establishing the technological basis that is opening opportunities for the development of new driver assistance and safety systems, making it possible even for a computer to drive or park a car. Driving a car by using just electronic signals opens also possibilities for the development of new human machine interfaces (H.M.I.) that can eventually substitute the current steering wheel and pedals structure. For some physically handicapped people, however, this signifies the possibility of driving the family's car by just attaching the appropriate H.M.I. on it, which could be, for example, a joystick. In this article the use of a joystick as H.M.I, and its relation to the vehicle dynamics is analyzed, and to overcome possible "fishtailing movements" an active steering unit with integrated ACC feature, incorporated to the joystick, is proposed.