Path Tracking and Speed Following Control of Four In-wheel-driving Autonomous Vehicle

This paper presents the design of an integrated path tracking and speed following controller to simulate a skilled human driver’s behaviour that will drive a four-in-wheel-independent-drive, front-wheel-steering(4WD-FWS) autonomous vehicle. Based on preview-follower theory, this study provides a new manner for the 4WD-FWS’s path tracking and speed following. A tracking control law is designed using the state-space equations and transfer function of motion. Experimental results on the actual road illustrate the availability of the proposed controller. According to the entire course of the experimental results, the proposed controller shows the great accuracy on both path tracking and speed following. It can be concluded that the proposed particular type of controller is highly applicable for four in-wheel-driving autonomous vehicle.