Applied Guidance Methodologies For Off Road Vehicles

This book provides methodologies for designing and implementing guidance algorithms for autonomous vehicles. These algorithms make important decision regarding how to steer and drive a ground vehicle in order to safely stay on an intended path, thereby making the vehicle driverless. The design tools provided in this book enable the reader to develop highly practical and real-world implementable guidance algorithms that will deliver high-accuracy driving for field vehicles. (They are equally applicable for on-road vehicles.) The book covers a variety of vehicle types, including wheeled vehicles, tracked vehicles, wheeled and tracked vehicles towing trailers, and four-wheel-steer and four-wheel-drive vehicles. It also covers active trailers that are driven and steered. Vehicles used in agriculture, mining and road construction are subjected to unpredictable and significant disturbances. The robust control methodologies presented can successfully compensate for these disturbances, as confirmed by the experimental results presented. Though the majority of the methodologies presented are based on sliding-mode controllers, other robust control methodologies are also discussed. To help the reader decide which controller is best suited for his/her choice of vehicle, experimental results are presented in a comparative format.

Featuring contributions from leading experts, the Road and Off-Road Vehicle System Dynamics Handbook provides comprehensive, authoritative coverage of all the major issues involved in road vehicle dynamic behavior. While the focus is on automobiles, this book also highlights motorcycles, heavy commercial vehicles, and off-road vehicles. The authors of the individual chapters, both from automotive industry and universities, address basic issues, but also include references to significant papers for further reading. Thus the handbook is devoted both to the beginner, wishing to acquire basic knowledge on a specific topic, and to the experienced engineer or scientist, wishing to have up-to-date information on a particular subject. It can also be used as a textbook for master courses at universities. The handbook begins with a short history of road and off-road vehicle dynamics followed by detailed, state-of-the-art chapters on modeling, analysis and optimization in vehicle system dynamics, vehicle concepts and aerodynamics, pneumatic tires and contact wheel-road/off-road, modeling vehicle subsystems, vehicle dynamics and active safety, man-vehicle interaction, intelligent vehicle systems, and road accident reconstruction and passive safety. Provides extensive coverage of modeling, simulation, and analysis techniques Surveys all vehicle subsystems from a vehicle dynamics point of view Focuses on pneumatic tires and contact wheel-road/off-road Discusses intelligent vehicle systems technologies and active safety Considers safety factors and accident reconstruction procedures Includes chapters written by leading experts from all over the world This text provides an applicable source of information for all people interested in a deeper understanding of road vehicle dynamics and related problems.

Featuring contributions from industry leaders in their respective fields, this volume presents comprehensive, authoritative coverage of all the major issues involved in road vehicle dynamic behavior. It begins with a short history of road and off-road vehicle dynamics followed by thorough, detailed state-of-the-art chapters on modeling, analysis and optimization in vehicle system dynamics, vehicle concepts and aerodynamics, pneumatic tires and contact wheel-road/off-road, modeling vehicle subsystems, vehicle dynamics and active safety, man-vehicle interaction, intelligent vehicle systems, and road accident reconstruction and passive safety.

"This book explores some of the most recent developments in robotic motion, artificial intelligence, and human-machine interaction, providing insight into a wide variety of applications and functional areas"--Provided by publisher.

Also available online via the Web pages of the TRB Cooperative Research Programs (www4.trb.org/trb/crp.nsf).

This book increases the level of knowledge on road safety contexts, issues and challenges; shares what can currently be done to address the variety of issues; and points to what needs to be done to make further gains in road safety.