Drive-by-wire vehicle stabilization and yaw regulation: a hybrid Model Predictive Control design

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Active Front Steering (AFS) have been introduced in production vehicles in recent years, due to improved vehicle maneuverability and the effects in reducing single vehicle accident. We propose a hybrid Model Predictive Control (MPC) design for coordinated control of AFS and ESC. By formulating the vehicle dynamics with respect to the front and rear tire slip angles and by approximating the tire-force characteristics by piecewise affine functions, the vehicle dynamics are formulated as a linear hybrid dynamical system. This model is used to design a hybrid model predictive controller. The proposed model formulation allows one to visually analyze the stability region of the closed-loop system and to assess the stabilizing capability of the hybrid MPC controller. Simulations of the controller in closed-loop with an accurate nonlinear model are presented.