Vehicle control using multiple actuators

1 . A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

operating a first steering device of the vehicle based on a first steering command to generate a first steering force on the vehicle;

operating a second steering device of the vehicle based on a second steering command to generate a second steering force at the vehicle;

detecting, via a processor, an external lateral force on the vehicle based on the first steering command, the second steering command, and a state of the vehicle;

determining, via the processor, a lateral deviation of the vehicle with respect to a nominal lateral deviation due to the external lateral force;

determining a second steering reference at a compensation module of the vehicle;

sending the second steering reference from the compensation module to a lateral control module;

applying model predictive control to the second steering reference at the lateral control module to generate an adjusted value for the second steering command from the second steering reference, wherein the adjusted value generates a lateral motion of the vehicle that attenuates the external lateral force to maintain the vehicle at the nominal lateral deviation; and

operating the second steering device of the vehicle based on the adjusted value of the second steering command to generate the second steering force at the vehicle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first steering device is a front steering device of the vehicle for controlling steering at a front wheel of the vehicle.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second steering device is at least one of: (i) a rear steering device for controlling steering at a rear wheel of the vehicle; (ii) a torque vector device for controlling steering of the vehicle; and (iii) an individual braking system for controlling steering of the vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending the first steering command from the lateral control module of the vehicle to the first steering device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining the adjusted value of the second steering command at the compensation module and sending the adjusted value of the second steering command from the compensation module to the second steering device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the external lateral force using at least one of: (i) a filter; (ii) an Extended Kalman Filter; and (iii) a neural network.

7 . A system for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

a first steering device for generating a first steering force on the vehicle;

a second steering device for generating a second steering force at the vehicle;

a processor configured to:

operate a lateral control module to send a first steering command to the first steering device;

operate an estimation module to estimate an external lateral force applied to the vehicle based on the first steering command, a second steering command, and a state of the vehicle, wherein the second steering command is applied to the second steering device, and to determine a lateral deviation of the vehicle with respect to a nominal lateral deviation due to the external lateral force;

operate a compensation module to determine a second steering reference and send the second steering reference to the lateral control module;

operate the lateral control module to apply model predictive control to the second steering reference to generate an adjusted value to the second steering command from the second steering reference and send the adjusted value to the second steering command to the second steering device; and

operate the second steering device of the vehicle based on the adjusted value of the second steering command to generate the second steering force at the vehicle that attenuates the external lateral force to maintain the vehicle at the nominal lateral deviation.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first steering device is a front steering device of the vehicle for controlling steering at a front wheel of the vehicle.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the second steering device is at least one of: (i) a rear steering device for controlling steering at a rear wheel of the vehicle; (ii) a torque vector device for controlling steering of the vehicle; and (iii) an individual braking system for controlling steering of the vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to operate the lateral control module to generate the first steering command using model predictive control using a steering request and the state of the vehicle.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to operate the compensation module to generate the adjusted value to the second steering command and send the adjusted value to the second steering command to the second steering device.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to operate the estimation module to estimate the external lateral force using at least one of: (i) a filter; (ii) an Extended Kalman Filter; and (iii) a neural network.

13 . A vehicle, comprising:

a front wheel;

a first steering device for generating a first steering force at the front wheel;

a second steering device for generating a second steering force at the vehicle;

a processor configured to:

operate a lateral control module to send a first steering command to the first steering device;

operate an estimation module to estimate an external lateral force applied to the vehicle based on the first steering command, a second steering command, and a state of the vehicle, wherein the second steering command is applied to the second steering device, and to determine a lateral deviation of the vehicle with respect to a nominal lateral deviation due to the external lateral force;

operate a compensation module to determine a second steering reference and send the second steering reference to the lateral control module;

operate the lateral control module to apply model predictive control to the second steering reference to generate an adjusted value to the second steering command from the second steering reference and send the adjusted value to the second steering command to the second steering device; and

operate the second steering device of the vehicle based on the adjusted value to the second steering command to generate the second steering force at the vehicle that attenuates the external lateral force to maintain the vehicle at the nominal lateral deviation.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the second steering device is at least one of: (i) a rear steering device for controlling steering at a rear wheel of the vehicle; (ii) a torque vector device for controlling steering of the vehicle; and (iii) an individual braking system for controlling steering of the vehicle.

15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to operate the lateral control module to generate the first steering command using model predictive control using a steering request and the state of the vehicle.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to operate the compensation module to generate the adjusted value of the second steering command and send the adjusted value of the second steering command to the second steering device.

17 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to operate the estimation module to estimate the external lateral force using at least one of: (i) a filter; (ii) an Extended Kalman Filter; and (iii) a neural network.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying model predictive control to the second steering reference further comprises applying a bicycle model to the second steering reference.

19 . The system of claim 7 , wherein applying model predictive control to the second steering reference further comprises applying a bicycle model to the second steering reference.

20 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein applying model predictive control to the second steering reference further comprises applying a bicycle model to the second steering reference.