2008 ISECS International Colloquium on Computing, Communication, Control, and Management

Dynamics Simulation on Control Technology

for 4WS Vehicle Steering Performance
Zhang Rong-hui[1][2] Jia Hong-guang[1] Chen Tao[1]
1. Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033,
China

2. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China

E-mail:

zrh1981819@126.com

Abstract

zrh1981819@yahoo.com.cn

II. STEERING CONTROL MATHEMATIC MODEL

By combining visual preview kinematics, dynamic

A.

LTI Visual Based On Preview Kinematics

equation of steering system and 2-DOF steering

Vision information is the most important input

dynamistic model of 4WS, we establish the two degree

signals of 4WS steering system. The orientation

of freedom model of four-wheel steering vehicle. And

deviation and lateral deviation are chosen from some

then the switching hyper plane is designed by applying

preview point in front of the vehicle, but not the centroid.

the optimal control theory. During the change of

The preview kinematics can be described as the

parameter is little, 4WS steering performance is carried

following equations:
ed = vx e v y L

e = v x E
vx : Vertical speed
v y : Lateral speed

out by adopting sliding variable structure controller. To

improve the steering performance of 4WS, especially
state variables convergent velocity, Kalman filter for

: Vehicle yaw rate E : Road curvature

L : Preview distance Z : View port
e , ed Orientation deviation and lateral deviation.

4WS is designed. And the robust optimal controller is

designed for model and parameter is uncertainty. The
simulation results show that the controller designed by
the proposed method has good robustness; it can easily

B.

attenuate the change and uncertainty of model.

Index Term: Slide variable structure control, The linear
quadratic form optimal control theory, Kalman
filter, Robust optimal control, Four-wheel vehicle

I. INTRODUCTION
Recently, people pay more attention not only at the
security and comfort, but also the better steering
performance. So, with the fast development control theory
and technology, the research on four-wheel steering
system becomes one of the hotspots in the study field of
vehicle. In this paper, we consider the visual based
preview kinematics, 2-DOF steering dynamic model and
dynamic equations of 4WS steering system to establish
the steering control mathematic model. And study on the
control technology to improve the steering performance of
4WS in different conditions.

978-0-7695-3290-5/08 $25.00 2008 IEEE

DOI 10.1109/CCCM.2008.57

(1)

206

2-DOF Steering Dynamistic Model of 4WS

Given the force balance equation in x and y as:
mv + (k f + kr ) kr r =

L f k f Lr kr

)w + k f f
(mv +
v

I z r + ( L f k f Lr kr ) + Lr kr r =
L2 k + L2 k
r r
f f
w + Lf k f f

v
Then we can get predigest equation:
mv( + r ) = 2Y f + 2Yr
(2)

I z r = 2l f Y f 2lr Yr
m : Mass of the vehicle.
v : Vehicle speed
: Sideslip angle
r = : Vehicle yaw rate
Lf , Lr : Distance from vehicle nature centre to the front
and rear wheel

I z : Rotary inertia of the vehicle

considers deviation and final value precision in the

Y f , Yr : Slide force

process of control and emphasizes that the system has the

When tracking the line path at low speed, the control

optimal dynamic response ability.

system can be considered as a LTI system, and steering

The second item in Eq is the limit to control variable

performance can be guaranteed by slide variable

u(t), namely requiring the cost of controlling energy as

structure control controller.

small as possible. Q and R are called weight matrix,

which play a adjustment part of value degree of the two

C.

The Transfer Function Of Motor System

The function of steering motor system we supposed is:

K
=
(3)
G( s) =
DA Tm s 2 + 2 ws + w2
is the output of steering system, DA is the input
of computer control system.
Consider preview kinematics, two degree of freedom

integral item in Eq. For steering control of 4WS, it

affects greatly automated control that the system reflects
quickly or slowly. So the choice weighting matrix
principle of the weighting matrix is in the range of
permission of control energy u(t), let system have the
optimal response ability, and let system both have

model of four-wheel steering vehicle and dynamic

restraining stability and quickly respond low shakes.

equations of steering structure motor system altogether.

So, almost dominance to optimal control essentially

We establish the steering control state space model as:

x = Ax + Bu
(4)

y = Cx + D

says in view of the actual choice of weighting matrix.

According to reference [1] [2], optimizing the
parameters of Q and R . From the root locus for e ,

III. SLIDE VARIABLE STRUCTURE CONTROLLER

and ed , show that they are main poles in the system. The

Firstly, choose the switching hyper plane.

X = AX + Bu
u Rm X Rn
Switching hyper plane S ( X ) = CX
.

x
1 = A11 x1 + A12 x2

.
x 2 = A21 x1 + A22 x2 + B2 u

S = C1 x1 + C2 x2

The new model:

A12
A
X = 11
X + Bu
A21 A22

variables can be convergent, shown as Fig.1.

Major parameters set:
m = 2000kg

v = 10(km / h)

I z = 2500kg m 2

Lr = 1.8m
L f = 1.4m
For four-wheel steering system, measurement data of

(5)

some state information is delayed. To improve the

security and steering performance, state observer with
measured output from the system must be constructed.
(6)

0.12

B= 0
0.62

0.09
Deviation

vx

D 0
0

A12 =
A11 =
v
x

vx
L 0
D

A21 = ( 0 0 )
A22 = 0.8467

simulation output of , , , e , ed , indict that state

The switching hyper plane is designed by applying

0.06
0.03
0

the optimal control theory. For 4WS steering control

-0.03

model, It has clear physical application, the first item of

the Eq is a kind of distance between the time of t state

0
Fig.1

variable x(t) and expected goal state x(o). The magnitude

2
Times
State variable simulation

Red:

of integral value stands for the distance between system

Black:

ed

The paper designed a state observer based on Kalman

state and goal state, far or near on the original items. It

207

filter theory to get the state information in real-time.

Kalman filter calculation chart is shown as Eq(7).
Kalman filtering equations:
X (k + 1/ k ) = AD (k ) X (k / k + 1) + BD (k )u (k )
+ K (k )[Y (k ) H (k ) X (k / k 1)]

founded.
The solution of H control problem: Design
controller K(s), which can maintain the stability of closed
system and get the infinitesimal.

(7)

0.09

P(k / k ) = P(k / k 1) K (k )CD (k ) P (k / k 1)

0.06

R1 = E{w(k ), w(k )T }
R2 = E{v (k ), v( k )T }

0.03
Deviation

w( K ), v( K ) Gaussian white noise with independent

zero mean.

-0.03

0.09

-0.06
0.06

-0.09
0

Deviation

Fig.3

0.03

3.0
Time(s)
All state variable simulation

6.0

(Slide variable structure controller result)

(v

= (80 * rand (1))( km / h ) )

-0.03
0
Fig.2

2(C f + Cr )

mv
A=
2(l f C f lr Cr )

Iz

2.0
1.0
Time(s)
All state variable simulation based on Kalman filter

Simulation results prove effective of observer: state

2(l f Cr + l f Cr ) + mv 2

mv 2

2(l 2 C f l f lr Cr )

Izv

2(C f + Cr )

mv

B=
2(C f l f Cr lr )

Iz

convergent faster than before. Show as Fig.2.

.

ROBUST OPTIMAL CONTROL FOR

PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY

If the vehicle speed is high, and the parameter

uncertainty of tire, the control system can not be

2C f E f

mv
E=
2l f C f E f

Iz

considered as a LTI system. LTI control without consider

model uncertainty is invalidation to solve this problem,
shown as Fig.3.
Major parameters set:
m = (3500* rand (1))kg
v = (120* rand (1))(km / h)

2Cr Er

mv
2lr Cr Er

Iz

lf
F = 1

Fb = 1

I z = (3000* rand (1))kg im 2

Lr = 1.8m
L f = 1.4m

1 , 2 : Disturb signal

Solve the Riccati equation:

(t ) = [

H optimal controller is designed with the

uncertainty.

According

to

P(s): Control object

A X + XA + 2 XB1 B1T X +

method of H control theory to solve the problem about

model

2 ]

reference[3][4],a

C1T C1 ( XB2 + C1T D12 )

four-wheel vehicle steering system uncertain model was

T
12

T
2

T
12

( D D12 ) ( B X + D C1 ) < 0

208

(8)

Deviation
P(k/k)

The feedback matrix is:

K = ( D12T D12T ) 1 ( B2T X + D12T C1 )

(9)

With the increase of vehicle speed, the stability and

steering performance of vehicle is becoming worse.

The simulation result, from Fig.4-5, show that H

controller is robust to model uncertainty, parameter
changes and disturbance. And state is convergent very
fast.

To testify robustness of H controller, different

disturbance are added to simulation control model.

V. CONCLUSIONS
Based on Four-wheel vehicle platform, we establish

Major parameters set:

m = (3500 * rand (1))kg

the steering system mathematic model firstly. And then

v = (120 * rand (1))(km / h)

the switching hyper plane is designed by applying the

I z = (3000 * rand (1))kg im 2

optimal control theory. During the change of parameter is

Lr = 1.8m

little, 4WS steering performance is carried out by

L f = 1.4m

adopting sliding variable structure controller. To improve

Disturb:
1 = 0.6
(1):
2 = 0.7

the steering performance of 4WS, especially state

1 = 0.7
(2):
2 = 0.5

for model and parameter is uncertainty.

variables convergent velocity, Kalman filter for 4WS is

designed. And the robust optimal controller is designed
Computer simulation results show that, the controller
designed by the proposed method has good robustness,

0.09

adaptability and stability. It is useful to improve 4WS

0.06

steering performance and security.

Deviation

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0.03

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-0.03

(v

1.0
2.0
Time(s)
Fig.4 All state variable simulation
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0.09
0.06
Deviation

0.03
0

-0.03

1.0
Time(s)

2.0

Fig.5

(v

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All state variable simulation

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209