“Development of a Steer by Wire System for an Autonomous Vehicle “

Abstract

Autonomous vehicles can effectively reduce accidents and help minimize traffic jams, parking scarcity and the time wasted commuting by individuals. An autonomous vehicle can maneuver its routes in shorter time if it can navigate on the limits of handling. This requires accurate steering commands to be applied to the vehicle which can be generated through an accurate steer by wire system that is properly modeled along with the vehicle dynamics. A mathematical model for autonomous vehicle dynamics is proposed to make use of the maximum attainable acceleration the tire can handle without losing traction. In addition to investigating the vehicle stability during maneuvers proposed by the higher-level control modules. The model integrates a steer by wire system with a simplified electric power train considering the handling dynamics of the vehicle. It takes into consideration forward, lateral, yaw and roll motions which is more exact and effective than simple bicycle planar models. The stability of the vehicle and its maneuverability are investigated. The handling limits of the vehicle are simulated using the g-g diagram under different maneuvers and tracks. Lateral and longitudinal accelerations, lateral velocity, slip angle, side forces and yaw motion are all investigated and the total acceleration is plotted on a g-g diagram. The vehicle dynamics model is validated experimentally using an NI MyRio data acquisition system tested on an actual vehicle. A model predictive controller for a steer by wire system is developed to