Speed-adaptive motion control algorithm for differential steering vehicle

The differential steering vehicle uses the in-wheel motors to drive the wheels directly and individually. However, in order to deliver the required structural robustness, the differential steering vehicle discarded the mechanical steering system and achieved vehicle steering by applying differential speed between the left and right wheels. This paper presents a novel speed-adaptive motion control algorithm based on the unique chassis configuration to enhance the performance in vehicle handling and lateral stability. The proposed control method first estimates the driver’s driving intention, from which reference wheel speeds are individually generated for each wheel based on their respective slipping and skidding status. Finally, the torque command is automatically adjusted by the speed-tracking controller by proactive adaptation of the wheel spinning resistance to effectively avoid excessive slip on low friction. This method exploits the fact that the torque at the steady state will always be equal to the available longitudinal force, thereby delivering the sophisticated tire force estimation without additional computational efforts, and ultimately helping conserve energy and promote lateral stability. The essential road information collected by this algorithm is also made available to drivers for improved vehicle controllability. The algorithm is subjected to three experimental case scenarios—pivot steering, low-friction driving, and curvilinear driving—through TruckSim–Simulink co-simulations and real vehicle tests, and the results have validated the algorithm in realizing the high-performance steering and maneuvering capabilities for six-wheeled differential steering vehicles.