Optimal steering control input generation for vehicle's entry speed maximization in a double-lane change manoeuvre

Abstract: In an effort to reduce physical testing during the development process of a new vehicle, the automotive industries develop methods that can facilitate the recreation of the physical testing scenarios in virtual environments using simulation software. This thesis aims to develop a method which would help evaluate the vehicle’s dynamic properties without it being subjected to physical testing. The goal is to develop a tool that can be used in an early development phase by the industry and that would allow for modifications and calibration to take place. A vehicle model as well as an electronic stability control implementation is built, and the model’s performance to an ISO3888 part-2 double lane change test is evaluated. Since the handling potentials of the vehicle are rated by its entry speed in that test, the model was subjected to an optimization process where its steering action was controlled in order to achieve the highest possible entry speed to the test in an effort to isolate the vehicle’s dynamic potential from the influence of a human driver when conducting this test. The vehicle modelling procedure is done in steps, from a simple implementation of a linear bicycle model to a more complex implementation of a four-wheel vehicle including roll, tire relaxation and suspension compliance properties as well as a simplified ESC implementation. The results of the steering input optimization process were physically tested on a test track, where the correspondence of the model to the real vehicle was evaluated. By further promoting the vehicle dynamics modelling, this tool can facilitate study more testing scenarios and options and it can serve as a step toward the reduction of the physical testing when the vehicle’s dynamic and handling performance need to be studied and evaluated.