Automated steering control for improved path tracking and stability of articulated heavy goods vehicles

Abstract

In the context of automated driving, articulated HGVs, such as tractor-semitrailers are popularly used for goods transportation. They are advantageous due to their larger capacity, but their increased mass and size pose lateral instability issues which may lead to safety-critical situations. Automated steering controllers capable of precise path-tracking and improved lateral stability may help avoid such problems. Here, we present two lateral controllers: Front Axle Reference (FAR) and Adaptive Reference (AR). FAR provides precise path tracking at the front of the vehicle, while AR drives more like a human driver, reducing the overall offtracking of the vehicle while ensuring stability. Both controllers are designed using Artificial Flow Guidance (AFG), which provides a motion reference based on path geometry. Simulations carried out for a broad range of speeds show centimetre-level path-tracking precision and improved lateral stability compared to the simple and familiar Pure Pursuit method. Controller performance is also seen to be robust to changes in trailer mass. Preliminary experimental results, conducted at low-speeds, tend to support these findings.