Closed-Loop Direct Tyre Force Control Based on Tyre Slip Mapping

The ever-demanding requirements for path and speed-tracking of autonomous vehicles inspire the need for precise tyre force control. Direct control of tyre forces is challenging due to the lack of tyre force sensing information. Thus, it is typically accomplished by open-loop control among literature, which is based on tyre model inversion. The performance relies heavily on adequate modelling and measurements, as well as perfect steering and driving execution. Therefore, the closed-loop direct tyre force control method is desirable. In this paper, we present a closed-loop direct tyre force control method based on combined-slip theory and wheel speed feedback, bypassing the tyre force sensing difficulties. The proposed method not only does not require extra tyre modelling or sensing, but is also less sensitive to model uncertainties. We made simulation case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested method. Comparisons between the typical open-loop control and the proposed closed-loop control are made, highlighting the contribution of introducing wheel speed feedback.