Autonomous Vehicles: Autodriver Algorithm and Vehicle Dynamics

A given road can be expressed mathematically in a global (or world) coordinate frame. Following the road can be substituted by following the loci of its curvature center and turning at the right circle of curvature. Considering that a vehicle in motion is always in turn about an instantaneous rotation center relative to the ground, an autonomous vehicle capable of following a given path by coinciding the rotation center of vehicle at every moment on the curvature center of the road could be designed. The dynamic reactions of the vehicle influence its path of motion and make its rotation center to depart from the desired path of the curvature center of the road. In this study, the Autodriver algorithm control strategy to front-wheel-steering vehicles has been developed and a control loop is introduced to compensate the present errors generated by the differences of the desired locating on the road and the real position of the vehicle. © 1967-2012 IEEE.