Automatic Steering Control of Tractor Semi-Trailer Using Controller Designed for Passenger Vehicles

Abstract An identical linear lane-keeping controller designed for a passenger car was successfully implemented on a tractor semi-trailer. With the same control parameters, similar error dynamics were observed under two very different truck configurations: tractor with and without trailer. The results demonstrate that “rail-like” performance can be achieved through a relatively simple “look-ahead” controller. This paper describes the process of transfering the engineering intuition of “it is generally easier to steer a tractor semi-trailer than a passenger car,” to the design concept of “a well-designed look-ahead steering controller for passenger car is a good candidate for controlling tractor semi-trailer.”