AUTOMATED STEERING CONTROL FOR VEHICLES

In this work, a new method to stabilize a vehicle, which is autonomous ly guided on the road by an optical sensor, is presented. Since the be haviour of a vehicle is nonlinear and contains mutual couplings in the dynamical variables, the design especially of algorithms for transver se control is based on the universal valid principle of feedback linea rization. This method works independently from any operating point and , thus, a high degree of accuracy and free pole assignment for the ove rall system is provided. The design of the control system is based on absolute angular velocities. A strategy transforming these variables i nto a relative system by an adequate transformation is described. Thus , the control error of the angle describing the direction of movement is forced to disappear. As all essential nonlinearities are compensate d, a linear behaviour with free pole assignment can be imposed on the overall system. Disturbances are handled by an integral term in the co ntrol algorithm. Thus, stability and convergence can be guaranteed eve n in the case of constant disturbances.