Robust sideslip estimation using GPS road grade sensing to replace a pitch rate sensor

This paper analyzes a promising method of road grade estimation for its potential use in aiding ground vehicle electronic stability control systems. The method in question incorporates GPS and motion sensors into a basic Kalman Filter model to achieve clean, high update estimates of the vertical and longitudinal velocity states from which the grade can be easily calculated. The knowledge of road grade is incorporated into a sideslip estimation scheme, replacing the pitch rate sensor, and the improvement in the sideslip estimate is evaluated. Simulated results are shown, as are results from using experimental data comparing this sideslip estimate with one obtained which utilizes the pitch rate gyro.