Performance-Aware Control Design for Reverse Docking of Tractor Semi-trailer Combinations

Automated reverse docking of a tractor-trailer combination is a challenging control problem due to the instability while driving in reverse. Tracking the desired path within a short traveled distance is a crucial requirement for successful automated docking maneuvers. This paper presents a path-tracking control design that is applicable for both forward and reverse driving. The derived gains of the controller are dependent on the dimensions of the vehicle combination and eigenvalues of the closed-loop system. The performance of the controller is evaluated with a simulation model and by performing scaled vehicle experiments.