Driver-assist steering by active front steering and differential braking: Design, implementation and experimental evaluation of a switched model predictive control approach

We investigate the coordination of active front steering and differential braking in a driver-assist steering system that aims at stabilizing the vehicle and achieving the desired yaw rate. Basing on a piecewise affine model of the vehicle steering dynamics formulated with respect to the tire slip angles and the steering angle we implement a switched model predictive controller to coordinate active front steering and differential braking. The switched controller is synthesized by multiparametric programming, resulting in a piecewise affine feedback law whose stability properties and computational effort can be analyzed with available tools. The controller response in different maneuvers is evaluated in simulations and experimentally on a low friction test track.