Model-Free Automated Reversing of Articulated Heavy Goods Vehicles

This paper presents a technique for automated reversing control of articulated vehicles. Reversing articulated Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) can be a challenging and time consuming task for a human driver, sometimes requiring multiple forward and backward motions to reduce errors. Here, the aim is to automate the task to provide high levels of precision using Artificial Flow Guidance (AFG). AFG uses simple geometry to define a spatially distributed motion reference, requiring only short-range error corrections and possessing global convergence properties. AFG has previously been applied to rigid and articulated vehicles in forward motion, with demonstrable benefits in terms of tracking precision and robustness. Here results focus on the tractor-semitrailer, but the AFG approach is equally applicable to the reversing of longer combination vehicles.