Stabilization of a vehicle combination

1. A method of controlling a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a yaw rate difference between a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle;

on a basis of the yaw rate difference, determining that an orientation of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle deviates from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination;

providing wheels on different sides of the vehicle and, in each case, and wheel brakes being associated with each of the wheels;

activating at least one wheel brake of the vehicle concerned on only one side of the vehicle in order to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle relative to the intended travel direction;

accelerating a wheel on an unbraked side of the vehicle to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle; and

intermittently applying the wheel brake of the wheel on the braked side of the vehicle and increasing the acceleration of the wheel on the unbraked side of the vehicle, during braking pauses, to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining the intended travel direction on the basis of a steering angle of a steered wheel of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising determining the intended travel direction on the basis of a speed of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining the yaw rate difference on the basis of a time derivative of an articulation angle enclosed by the tractor vehicle relative to the trailer vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining a length of the vehicle combination on the basis of a variation of the yaw rate difference while driving around a known curve.

6. A control unit for a vehicle combination comprising a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the control unit comprises:

a sensor system for determining a yaw rate difference between a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle;

a processing device for determining, on a basis of the yaw rate difference, an orientation deviation of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle which is deviating from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination;

each of the tractor and the trailer vehicle having wheels on different sides of the respective vehicle and respective wheel brakes being associated with each of the respective wheels;

the processing device being designed to activate a desired wheel brake of the vehicle, on only one side of the vehicle, in order to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle relative to the intended travel direction of the vehicle;

the processing device being designed to activate acceleration of a wheel on an unbraked side of the vehicle to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle; and

the processing device being designed to activate intermittent application of the wheel brake of the wheel on the braked side of the vehicle, and increasing the acceleration of the wheel on the unbraked side of the vehicle, during braking pauses, to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle.

7. A device according to claim 6 , wherein the processing device is designed to control the vehicle combination autonomously.

8. A method of controlling a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, each of the trailer vehicle and the tractor vehicle having wheels located on opposed lateral sides thereof, and each of the wheels have a respective brake, the method comprising the following steps:

determining a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle via a first yaw rate sensor, and determining a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle via a second yaw rate sensor;

determining a yaw rate difference, via either a processing device or one of the first and the second yaw rate sensors, between the yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and the yaw rate of the trailer vehicle;

determining, based on the yaw rate difference, when at least one of the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle is deviating from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination;

activating, via a control device, at least one wheel brake located on only one lateral side of the at least one of the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle that is deviating from the intended travel direction to counter the deviation from the intended travel direction; and

providing the vehicle concerned with a plurality of wheels, arranged one behind another, on both sides of the vehicle, and activating the wheel brakes of the wheels in accordance with their position in relation to a driving direction of the vehicle, consecutively from a rear toward a front the vehicle.