Stability In The Real World-Influence Of Drivers And Actual Roads On Vehicle Stability Performance

The interaction between road geometry, heavy vehicle stability and manoeuvrability performance and driver behaviour is investigated by computer simulation and full­ scale testing. Methods have been developed to convert the measured road geometry data into a form suitable for vehicle simulations.The road geometry data describes all major highways of the New Zealand road network in three­ dimensional space. A new driver model, intended to control vehicle speed during simulations·· on hilly ~terraiD, is presented: Comparison with preliminary tests shows promising results. Heavy vehicle simulations have long been used in New Zealand to analyse vehicle stability. This paper describes the advances being made by combining the road geometry data and driver model developments with the vehicle modelling capability.