Minimum Time vs Maximum Exit Velocity Path Optimization During Cornering

Numerical optimization has been used as an extension of vehicle dynamics simulation in order to repro- duce trajectories and driving techniques used by expert race drivers and investigate the effects of several vehicle param- eters in the stability limit operation of the vehicle. In this work we investigate how different race-driving techniques may be reproduced by considering different optimization cost functions. We introduce a bicycle model with suspension dynamics and study the role of the longitudinal load transfer in limit vehicle operation, i.e., when the tires operate at the adhesion limit. Finally we demonstrate that for certain vehicle configurations the optimal trajectory may include large slip angles (drifting), which matches the techniques used by rally-race drivers. I. INTRODUCTION