Adaptive vehicle suspension design using LPV methods

In order to realize the full potential of active suspensions the controller should have the capability of adapting to changing road environments. We present a framework for the design of such adaptive suspension controllers using a combination of linear parameter-varying (LPV) control and nonlinear backstepping techniques. Two levels of adaptation are considered: the lower level control design shapes the nonlinear characteristics of the vehicle suspension based on road conditions, while the higher level design involves adaptive switching between these different nonlinear characteristics. Nonlinear simulations show that these adaptive suspension controllers provide superior passenger comfort over the whole range of road conditions