Development and Experimental Assessment of a Control Logic for Hydroplaning Prevention

Hydroplaning plays a crucial role in road safety. The water layer wedged between the tires and the road reduces the capability of the vehicle to respond to the driver’s inputs. Factors like vehicle speed, water layer thickness, tread pattern, and tire wear affect hydroplaning onset. Based on the technical literature and experimental tests, the research developed a tire model to simulate hydroplaning effects. Scaling factors were added to the MFTyre model to reproduce the changes in cornering stiffness, relaxation length, friction coefficient, and motion resistance. Then, a control logic to counteract hydroplaning was designed and implemented on a 14-dof vehicle model. As last, the effectiveness of the control logic was assessed through a series of indoor tests on a dynamic driving simulator.