Autonomous lateral control of vehicle using direct yaw moment control

1. A method comprising:

identifying a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determining a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determining a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distributing the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein determining the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle comprises:

determining the desired yaw rate for the ego vehicle based on a lateral offset of the ego vehicle from the identified path and a heading offset of the ego vehicle; and

determining the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on a rate of curvature of the identified path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

distributing the desired yaw moment to the wheels of the ego vehicle comprises at least one of (i) distributing the desired yaw moment to left and right wheels of the ego vehicle and (ii) distributing the desired yaw moment to front and rear wheels of the ego vehicle; and

each wheel is configured to convert a portion of the desired yaw moment into a corresponding wheel torque, at least some of the wheel torques being different to create the lateral movement of the ego vehicle.

3. A method comprising:

identifying a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determining a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determining a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distributing the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein determining the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle comprises determining the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle; and

wherein determining the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle comprises determining the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on a single-track dynamic model of the ego vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle further comprises:

projecting a reference point associated with the ego vehicle onto the identified path; and

using the nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle within a vehicle-based coordinate system defined by the projection of the reference point onto the identified path.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle further comprises using feedback linearization to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the single-track dynamic model is defined by a velocity-dependent state-space model and expresses desired yaw dynamics of the ego vehicle based on lateral acceleration of the ego vehicle.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle further comprises:

determining the desired yaw rate for the ego vehicle based on a lateral offset of the ego vehicle from the identified path and a heading offset of the ego vehicle; and

determining the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on a rate of curvature of the identified path.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

identify a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determine a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determine a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distribute the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle; and

determine the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on a single-track dynamic model of the ego vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein, to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle, the at least one processing device is further configured to:

project a reference point associated with the ego vehicle onto the identified path; and

use the nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle within a vehicle-based coordinate system defined by the projection of the reference point onto the identified path.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to use feedback linearization to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the single-track dynamic model is defined by a velocity-dependent state-space model and expresses desired yaw dynamics of the ego vehicle based on lateral acceleration of the ego vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

to distribute the desired yaw moment to the wheels of the ego vehicle, the at least one processing device is configured to at least one of (i) distribute the desired yaw moment to left and right wheels of the ego vehicle and (ii) distribute the desired yaw moment to front and rear wheels of the ego vehicle; and

each wheel is configured to convert a portion of the desired yaw moment into a corresponding wheel torque, at least some of the wheel torques being different to create the lateral movement of the ego vehicle.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

identify a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determine a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determine a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distribute the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

determine the desired yaw rate for the ego vehicle based on a lateral offset of the ego vehicle from the identified path and a heading offset of the ego vehicle; and

determine the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on a rate of curvature of the identified path.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle; and

determine the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on a single-track dynamic model of the ego vehicle.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:

identify a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determine a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determine a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distribute the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle comprise instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to:

determine the desired yaw rate for the ego vehicle based on a lateral offset of the ego vehicle from the identified path and a heading offset of the ego vehicle; and

determine the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on a rate of curvature of the identified path.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to distribute the desired yaw moment to the wheels of the ego vehicle comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to at least one of (i) distribute the desired yaw moment to left and right wheels of the ego vehicle and (ii) distribute the desired yaw moment to front and rear wheels of the ego vehicle; and

each wheel is configured to convert a portion of the desired yaw moment into a corresponding wheel torque, at least some of the wheel torques being different to create the lateral movement of the ego vehicle.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:

identify a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determine a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determine a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distribute the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle; and

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on a single-track dynamic model of the ego vehicle.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle further comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to:

determine the desired yaw rate for the ego vehicle based on a lateral offset of the ego vehicle from the identified path and a heading offset of the ego vehicle; and

determine the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on a rate of curvature of the identified path.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle further comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to:

project a reference point associated with the ego vehicle onto the identified path; and

use the nonlinear kinematics of the ego vehicle within a vehicle-based coordinate system defined by the projection of the reference point onto the identified path.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle further comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle using feedback linearization.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the single-track dynamic model is defined by a velocity-dependent state-space model and expresses desired yaw dynamics of the ego vehicle based on lateral acceleration of the ego vehicle.

22. A method comprising:

identifying a path to be followed by an ego vehicle;

determining a desired yaw rate and a desired yaw acceleration for the ego vehicle based on the identified path;

determining a desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle based on the desired yaw rate and the desired yaw acceleration; and

distributing the desired yaw moment to multiple wheels of the ego vehicle such that the distributed desired yaw moment creates lateral movement of the ego vehicle during travel along the identified path;

wherein the desired yaw moment for the ego vehicle is determined using the desired yaw rate, the desired yaw acceleration, an actual yaw rate of the ego vehicle, a moment of inertia of the ego vehicle, a front road wheel angle of the ego vehicle, and a lateral acceleration of the ego vehicle.