Method and apparatus for operating a vehicle in low traction environments

Abstract

The title of the invention is Method and apparatus for operating a vehicle in low traction environments. The present disclosure relates generally to vehicles, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for operating a vehicle in low traction environments. An example vehicle includes an active suspension system, an electric power steering system, and a controller configured to determine a wheel slip of at least one road wheel of the vehicle, and in response to the wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, cause a first road wheel of the vehicle to be in an in-toed position relative to a track position of the vehicle, and cause a second road wheel of the vehicle to be in an out-toed position relative to the track position of the vehicle.

Description

[0001] Related applications This patent claims priority to DE patent application number 102024136522.6, filed on December 6, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to vehicles, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for operating vehicles in low-traction environments. Background Technology

[0003] Vehicles typically operate in low-traction environments such as off-road conditions. Off-road environments include obstacles or terrain that are difficult for vehicles to maneuver effectively. For example, mud, ruts, snow, or sand can reduce a vehicle's traction. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle including components according to the examples described herein is shown.

[0005] Figure 2 An alternative component with the example described herein is shown. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the vehicle.

[0006] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example method for operating a component according to the examples described in this article is shown.

[0007] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A schematic diagram showing the increase in the length of the spring device is shown.

[0008] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the alternating rotational motion of a steerable road wheel is shown.

[0009] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the alternating rotational motion of a pair of steerable road wheels is shown.

[0010] Figure 7A and Figure 7B A schematic diagram shows the toe-in and toe-out positions of a steerable road wheel.

[0011] Figure 8 This is a block diagram of an example programmable circuit platform 800, which is configured to perform and / or instantiate... Figure 3 The example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations are provided to implement the examples disclosed herein. Summary of the Invention

[0012] An example vehicle includes: an active suspension system, an electric steering system, and a controller configured to determine wheel slip of at least one road wheel of the vehicle, and in response to wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, to position a first road wheel of the vehicle in a toe-in position relative to the vehicle's track position, and to position a second road wheel of the vehicle in a toe-out position relative to the vehicle's track position.

[0013] An exemplary non-transient machine-readable storage medium includes instructions to cause programmable circuitry to perform at least the following operations: determine wheel slip of at least one road wheel of a vehicle, and based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, position a first road wheel of the vehicle in an in-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position, and position a second road wheel of the vehicle in an out-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position.

[0014] An example method includes: determining wheel slip of at least one road wheel of a vehicle, and, based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, positioning a first road wheel of the vehicle in an in-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position, and positioning a second road wheel of the vehicle in an out-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Vehicles are typically used in off-road environments. When a vehicle is driving off-road, such as through deep mud, ruts, and / or deep snow or sand, its traction may decrease. As a result, the vehicle may lose power or get stuck. This can happen, for example, if the tire treads are filled with mud or snow, or if the ground clearance is too low, causing the bottom of the vehicle to make contact with the ground, thus reducing tire contact and consequently decreasing tire traction.

[0016] Experienced off-road drivers counteract or prevent these situations by maximizing the vehicle's adaptive suspension, thereby increasing ground clearance. In some examples, experienced off-road drivers make small oscillations in the steering input around the intended steering input. The oscillating rotational motion of the road wheels provides greater traction as the vehicle's tires and sidewalls rub against the ruts the vehicle is in. This increases tire traction, allowing the vehicle to continue moving. However, these methods rely on experienced off-road drivers manually adjusting the steering input, and a large proportion of vehicle drivers are unaware of these methods for adjusting vehicle parameters and steering input.

[0017] Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate or at least reduce the disadvantages of known processes and components used for operating vehicles in off-road environments. The aforementioned problems are addressed or at least reduced through the examples described herein. Some of the examples described herein relate to methods for operating vehicle components. These components include an active suspension system and / or an electromechanical steering system. The active suspension system includes at least one suspension unit that can adjust its length during vehicle operation. The steering system may be an electromechanical steering system including at least one actuator for each road wheel. The vehicle includes at least one control device (e.g., an electronic control unit (ECU)) coupled to the active suspension system and / or the electromechanical steering system. The example methods include at least the following operations: First, at least one wheel slip of at least one road wheel of the vehicle is determined. If the determined wheel slip exceeds a first slip threshold, the length of at least one length-adjustable spring device of the active suspension system is increased, and / or at least one steerable road wheel connected to the road wheel actuator of the electromechanical steering system performs alternating rotational motion around the wheel steering axis, and / or the first steerable road wheel connected to the first road wheel actuator is in a toe-in position relative to the vehicle's track position specified by the steering input, and the second steerable road wheel connected to the second road wheel actuator is in a toe-out position.

[0018] The example method is based on the knowledge that multiple measures can be used to increase a vehicle's traction. By increasing the length of the spring mechanism, the vehicle's ground clearance increases. Therefore, the bottom of the vehicle will not contact uneven surfaces, thus not reducing traction. Depending on the height of the uneven ground, this results in an increase in traction. Due to the rotational motion of the steerable road wheels, the sidewalls of the road wheel tires are pressed against the rut wall where the vehicle is positioned. This also increases traction. Because one road wheel is intentionally deflected according to its toe-in position, the orientation of the steerable road wheel deviates from the track position specified by the steering input. The other road wheel deviates relative to the specified track position according to its toe-out position. The fact that the first steerable road wheel occupies the toe-in position while the second steerable road wheel adopts the toe-out position allows the deviations relative to the specified toe-in position caused by the toe-in and toe-out positions to compensate for each other. Through the two wheel actuators, the steerable road wheels are simultaneously steered to the toe-in and toe-out positions. One wheel rotates at an angle less than the set steering angle, while the other wheel rotates at an angle equal to or greater than the set steering angle. Therefore, the steerable road wheels cooperate in such a way that the vehicle continues to follow the specified track position. Therefore, since the inner and outer toe positions allow at least part of the tire sidewall to contact the ground, such as the rut wall, traction can be increased.

[0019] Measures to increase traction can be implemented automatically, either by reference or by a reference control device. For example, a vehicle may have specific operating modes (such as an off-road mode), which allows even inexperienced drivers to prevent the vehicle from getting stuck or to extricate themselves from stuck driving situations. While experienced drivers may be familiar with various traction-enhancing measures, this method eliminates the need for the driver to manually execute these measures. Therefore, the vehicle's ability to navigate uneven terrain, such as off-road terrain, is improved.

[0020] According to another aspect, some examples described herein relate to components for operating a vehicle. The components include at least one control device and an active suspension system and / or an electromechanical steering system. The active suspension system includes at least one suspension device whose length is adjustable during vehicle operation. The electromechanical steering system includes at least one road wheel actuator. The control device is at least coupled to the active suspension system and / or the electromechanical steering system. The adjustment device is at least configured to determine at least one wheel slip of at least one road wheel of the vehicle, and assuming that the determined wheel slip exceeds a first slip threshold value, causing an increase in the length of at least one length-adjustable spring device, and / or causing alternating rotational movement of at least one steerable road wheel about a wheel steering axis, and / or placing a first steerable road wheel coupled to the road wheel actuator in a toe-in position and a second steerable road wheel coupled to an additional road wheel actuator in a toe-out position. The advantages achieved by the methods described herein are also achieved by the components in a corresponding manner.

[0021] An active suspension system can be understood as a suspension system including at least one spring device whose effective spring travel can be adjusted during operation. This is achieved by changing the overall height of the suspension device, thereby ensuring translation of at least one road wheel. The suspension device can be configured to change its overall height by static force and / or by dynamically varying forces (e.g., by a pump). The spring device can be a mechanical spring device, a pneumatic spring device, or a hydraulic spring device. In some examples, the active suspension system for adjusting the length of the spring device includes at least one actuator. The actuator can also be part of the spring device itself, for example, if it is a piston.

[0022] Electromechanical steering systems can be specifically understood as steer-by-wire (SBW) steering systems. In an electromechanical steering system, the direct mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the road wheels is eliminated. Instead, two actuators are used: a steering wheel actuator with feedback, which generates feedback torque for the driver (e.g., at the steering wheel), and a road wheel actuator that adjusts the road wheels to the desired position. At the steering wheel, feedback is provided to the driver regarding the vehicle's lateral control based on the feedback torque. To this end, the control unit determines the feedback torque and causes the steering wheel actuator to apply the feedback torque to the steering wheel.

[0023] In some examples, the control unit determines the feedback torque based at least on the steering variables of the steerable road wheels of the steering system. The feedback torque is determined to compensate for the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheels and / or the toe-in and toe-out positions of the steerable road wheels. For example, the determined feedback torque may depend on the position of the steering rack and / or the driver's steering angle of at least one steerable road wheel. Because the driver's steering angle is a reference direction for the alternating rotational motion and / or the toe-in and toe-out positions, this results in uniform feedback being provided on the steering wheel without the feedback torque being affected by variations caused by the alternating rotational motion and / or the toe-in and toe-out positions. Therefore, the driver's steering feel is uniform, ensuring a high level of comfort. In other words, the steering wheel does not return to the driver the wobbling steering motion of the road wheels or the dynamically changing trajectory settings in the case of individually adjustable road wheel actuators. This means that the driver always keeps the steering wheel in the predetermined steering direction, while the road wheels take the aforementioned alternating rotational motion and / or lane-out position to improve traction.

[0024] The vehicle's electromechanical steering system should be understood as the vehicle's conventional electromechanical steering system, not as auxiliary steering, which can only be achieved through torque control associated with drive units (such as motors) and / or deceleration devices (such as brakes) allocated to the individual road wheels. In this context, a drive unit should be understood as a correspondingly operating electric motor, each electric motor allocated to at least one road wheel for driving the vehicle, but not for lateral guidance. Instead, the drive unit is separate from the road wheel actuators and their electric motors. The electromechanical steering system includes at least one road wheel actuator coupled to at least one steerable road wheel. In some examples, the road wheel actuator may also be coupled simultaneously (at least indirectly) to several steerable road wheels, for example, via a rack. In some examples, the vehicle may include several road wheel actuators, each road wheel actuator individually coupled to several steerable road wheels. In some examples, the vehicle may also include individual road wheel actuators associated with at least some of the steerable road wheels of the motor vehicle. This means that the respective steerable road wheels can be controlled independently of other steerable road wheels to laterally guide the vehicle according to the individual wheel orientations. For example, this allows a single steerable road wheel to have different orientations, such as an inner or outer toe position relative to the track position defined by the driver's steering input. In some examples, lateral control of the vehicle can be based on steering input given by the driver, such as turning the vehicle in a specific direction via the steering wheel.

[0025] Wheel slip refers to the divergence of tire treads from the driving surfaces that rub against each wheel, depending on the wheel speed, thereby causing tangential forces to counteract traction. Traction is the transmission of driving force to propel the vehicle relative to the ground. When a vehicle is powered, a certain amount of wheel slip occurs, depending on road conditions and tire type. However, if wheel slip becomes too large, the vehicle will no longer be precisely guided by the driver's steering input. In some examples, a first slip threshold is calculated, which indicates whether preventative measures from the control unit are needed. In other words, the first slip threshold indicates when the loss of traction exceeds a threshold that can be counteracted by the control unit.

[0026] Alternating rotational motion is understood here as the repeated rotational motion of the steerable road wheels around the steering axis. In this context, toe-in or toe-out position should be understood as the orientation of the steerable road wheels relative to the steering axis, intentionally deviating from the vehicle's track position. Generally, toe-in and toe-out positions are defined only when the steerable road wheels are in a straight line / going straight. In this case, the toe-in and toe-out positions explained here are intentional deviations of the steerable road wheels, which are also used during steering operations. The vehicle's track position corresponds to the alignment of the steerable road wheels according to the driver's steering input. The lane position indicates the direction the driver wants to maneuver the vehicle. Based on the toe-in position, the steerable road wheels are intentionally deviated from this orientation, corresponding to a larger steering angle than the driver expects. Therefore, the steerable road wheels will also be intentionally deviated from this alignment based on the toe-in position, actually according to a smaller steering angle than the driver expects. For example, if the track position, according to the driver's steering input, indicates that the motor vehicle is aligned in a straight line along the vehicle's longitudinal axis, the steerable road wheels will rotate at least partially around the steering axis according to the toe-in or toe-out position and will have an orientation deviating from the straight-line alignment. The inner and outer toe positions correspond to the orientations on opposite sides of the reference direction, which are defined by the lane position based on the driver's steering input.

[0027] In some examples, the value of the first slip threshold is based on at least one vehicle speed and a variable value for the vehicle's speed change, and is determined by the control unit based on at least these parameters. As previously mentioned, if the vehicle's drive is used for propulsion, the road wheels will slip to some extent. By taking into account the vehicle speed and the value for the vehicle's speed change, the current driving conditions can be considered to appropriately adjust the value of the slip threshold.

[0028] The vehicle speed here refers to the vehicle's actual speed on the ground, which may deviate from the driver's input (e.g., via the accelerator pedal) due to lack of traction or excessive slippage. Actual vehicle speed can be determined, for example, by sensor data from the road wheels, position sensors, speed change sensors, or yaw rate sensors. The speed change value here should be understood as the amount of change in vehicle speed corresponding to the three axles orthogonally oriented to each other (e.g., along the vehicle's longitudinal axis, lateral axis, and steering axis).

[0029] In some examples, speed sensors detect the speed of at least one road wheel of the vehicle and transmit the detected speed to a control unit. The recorded speed can then be set according to a slip threshold value, which depends on the vehicle speed and the speed change. This allows the actual slip of the corresponding road wheel of the motor vehicle to be determined. In some examples, several speed sensors can be provided for different road wheels of the vehicle. Similarly, the slip of each road wheel of the vehicle can be compared to an initial slip threshold value for each individual road wheel. When determining whether the determined wheel slip exceeds the first slip threshold value, the average of several road wheels or all road wheels can be considered. In another example, the determined wheel slip exceeding the first slip threshold value for only a single road wheel of the vehicle may be decisive.

[0030] In some examples, the control unit also compares the current chassis position with the nominal chassis position and takes this comparison into account when adjusting the active suspension system. For example, the current suspension position may have been adjusted due to the user lowering or raising the chassis, and therefore no longer corresponds to the nominal chassis position. Furthermore, the deviation between the current and nominal chassis positions may be caused by uneven ground. Regarding the nominal chassis position, the control unit may consider the possible adjustment range of the length-adjustable spring assembly. A comparison can then determine whether the possible adjustment range of the spring assembly allows for an increase in its length. For example, the spring assembly may already be adjustable to its maximum height. In these examples, additional measures must be taken to increase traction.

[0031] In some examples, the control unit can also consider several or all of the actual lengths of the adjustable spring units at any given time. If at least one length-adjustable spring unit has not yet reached its maximum length, the corresponding suspension control signal can cause the length of that spring unit to increase. In some examples, the control unit can also adjust the active suspension system so that the lengths of several length-adjustable spring units of the vehicle increase simultaneously. This not only selectively increases the ground clearance below the vehicle's undercarriage but also increases the overall ground clearance.

[0032] In some examples, the control unit executes the method if it determines, based on environmental sensor data and / or location data, that the vehicle is in an off-road environment and / or stuck. For example, environmental sensor data can be recorded using camera sensors, radar sensors, lidar sensors, and / or infrared sensors. This environmental sensor data allows the control unit to identify the off-road environment near the vehicle. A position signal receiver configured to receive position signals from a global navigation satellite system can be used to receive the location data. Based on the received position signal, the vehicle's position can be determined by the position signal receiver or the control unit. By comparing the vehicle's actual position with appropriate topographic map material, the control unit can then determine that the vehicle is in an off-road environment. In some examples, the control unit executes the method upon receiving user input. This allows the vehicle driver to manually trigger the appropriate procedure when needed, thereby improving driver comfort.

[0033] In some examples, after executing the method, the control device also notifies the driver via an output device. This informs the vehicle driver that the control device influences the suspension behavior of the active suspension system and / or the steering behavior of the electromechanical steering system to increase traction. For example, it can prevent the driver from counteracting the alternating rotational movements of the steerable road wheels without being aware of the control device's influence.

[0034] In some examples, the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheels is less than a caliable rotational angle interval around the wheel steering axis. This allows the alternating rotational motion to be limited to a level acceptable to the vehicle driver. In some examples, the rotational angle interval can be adjusted by the driver via user input through an input device. In some examples, the duration of the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheels is shorter than a specified cycle threshold. This prevents the alternating rotational motion from being performed too slowly. Otherwise, slow execution of the alternating rotational motion could cause a reaction from the driver. The value of the cycle threshold can preferably be specified by a control device. For example, the cycle threshold can be dependent on the vehicle speed. This allows the speed of the alternating rotational motion to be matched to the vehicle speed to increase traction in an appropriate manner.

[0035] In some examples, the reference direction for the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheels corresponds to the default direction defined by the driver's steering input. Here, the reference direction for the alternating rotational motion should be understood as a central direction around which the alternating rotational motion occurs in different directions. To ensure that the vehicle can still be steered according to the driver's steering input even with this method, the reference direction is defined by the driver's steering input (e.g., steering wheel angle and steering wheel speed). Then, alternating rotational motion is performed around the reference direction based on the rotation signal.

[0036] In some examples, the alternating rotational motion has a sinusoidal curve relative to the reference direction. This means that the alternating rotational motion has a relatively small angular change per unit time, while the angular change per unit time in the channel region through the reference direction is relatively large. This ensures that the tire sidewall is in contact with the ground portion, such as the rut wall, for as long as possible. In contrast, the channel through the reference direction corresponds to the alignment of the wheel on a steerable road, where it must be assumed that no part of the tire (especially the tire sidewall) is in contact with any part of the ground (especially the rut wall), which is why the alternating rotational motion occurs particularly quickly at that time. In some examples, a distorted sinusoidal profile is applied during the alternating rotational motion, where the reversal point is flattened and the zero-crossing point is chosen to be steeper to prolong the contact time between the tire sidewall and the portion of the ground.

[0037] In some examples, a first steerable road wheel coupled to a road wheel actuator and a second steerable road wheel coupled to an additional road wheel actuator perform corresponding alternating rotational movements about their respective steering axes relative to the vehicle's track position specified by the steering input. This means that both road wheels rotate about their respective steering axes. The rotational movements cause them to compensate for each other in terms of the steering axes. In this way, despite the alternating dynamic rotational movements, the vehicle can still be guided along the steering input while still increasing traction.

[0038] In some examples, if the determined wheel slip does not exceed a second slip threshold value within a specified number of control intervals over a predetermined time period, the control unit stops outputting suspension control signals and / or rotation control signals and / or lane control signals. This allows the control unit to reassess whether the vehicle has sufficient traction. As a result, the influence on the active suspension system or electromechanical steering system can be terminated. In this way, normal driving comfort can be automatically restored. In some examples, if the vehicle speed is greater than a speed threshold, the control unit stops outputting suspension control signals and / or rotation control signals and / or lane control signals. At sufficiently high vehicle speeds, sufficient traction can be assumed. The speed threshold is used to determine whether the influence of the control unit can be terminated. In some examples, the first slip threshold and the second slip threshold are different. This ensures hysteresis between the values ​​of the slip thresholds, thereby preventing erratic control behavior of the control unit.

[0039] In some examples, the method is configured as a computer-implemented method. This means that these operations can be performed with the assistance of one or more data processing devices. For example, the data processing device of the control unit can trigger or execute the corresponding operation. Active suspension systems and / or electromechanical steering systems, such as road wheel actuators, may also include their own control units with corresponding data processing devices, which are used at least indirectly to generate corresponding effects of suspension control signals, rotation control signals, and / or lane positioning signals. In these examples, the component control unit can be considered as a vehicle control unit that outputs appropriate control signals to the components. The actual actuation of the individual components, such as the length adjustment of a length-adjustable spring device, can then be influenced by the control unit of the sub-component.

[0040] According to another aspect, this disclosure also relates to a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described herein. The benefits achieved by the methods described herein are also achieved by the computer program product in a corresponding manner. According to another aspect, this disclosure also relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising commands that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described herein. The advantages achieved by the processes described herein are also achieved by the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a corresponding manner. According to another aspect, this disclosure also relates to a vehicle having components as described herein or having components operable by the methods described herein. The advantages achieved by the methods described herein are also achieved by the vehicle in a corresponding manner.

[0041] For the purposes of this disclosure, vehicles may include land vehicles, i.e., in particular, off-road and on-road vehicles, such as passenger cars, buses, trucks, and other commercial vehicles. Vehicles may be passenger-carrying or driverless. Vehicles may be at least partially electric, having an internal combustion engine and / or an electric motor used as a propulsion device.

[0042] All features explained with respect to each aspect can be combined individually or in combination with other aspects (sub-items). The following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended to describe different examples of the disclosed objects and is not intended to represent a unique example, wherein the same numbers refer to the same elements. Each example described in this disclosure is by way of example or illustration only and should not be construed as preferred or superior to other examples. The illustrative examples contained herein are not claimed to be exhaustive, nor do they limit the claimed subject matter to the exact form disclosed. Various variations of the described examples will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the described examples. Therefore, the described examples are not limited to the examples shown, but have the widest possible scope of application compatible with the principles and features disclosed herein. All features disclosed below with respect to the examples and / or drawings can be combined with features of the disclosed aspects individually or in any sub-combination, provided that the resulting combination of features is reasonable to those skilled in the art.

[0043] For disclosure purposes, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" means, for example, (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C), and if more than three elements are listed, the phrase includes all other possible combinations. In other words, the term "at least one of A and B" generally means "A and / or B," i.e., "A" alone, "B" alone, or "A and B."

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle 10 having example component 12a is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a motor vehicle 10 having an alternative component 12b according to the invention is shown.

[0045] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, component 12a of motor vehicle 10 includes an electromechanical steering system 14 with steerable road wheels 16. The steerable road wheels 16 are coupled to a common rack 18. The common rack 18 can be moved from a reference position (e.g., zero position), which causes steering motion of the steerable road wheels 16. For example, the steerable road wheels 16 can deflect from straight alignment of vehicle 10, causing vehicle 10 to perform a turn.

[0046] For the movement of the rack 18, the electromechanical steering system 14 includes a single road wheel actuator 20 that can collectively affect the alignment of the two steerable road wheels 16 of the vehicle 10. In the illustrated example, the road wheel actuator 20 is coupled to the rack 18. In some examples, the road wheel actuator 20 may also be otherwise coupled to the steerable road wheels 16 to influence their orientation.

[0047] and Figure 1 Compared to the example, Figure 2 The difference in the example shown is that each road wheel actuator 20 is individually coupled to a steerable road wheel 16. As a result, the rack 18 can be omitted. This allows for road wheel-specific alignment of the steerable road wheels 16 to be achieved independently of the other steerable road wheels 16.

[0048] Even in Figure 1 and Figure 2 As not shown in the example, vehicle 10, components 12a, 12b and electromechanical steering system 14 may also include other steerable road wheels 16, such as rear wheels, which are coupled to additional public road wheel actuators 20 or separate road wheel actuators 20.

[0049] Each road wheel actuator 20 includes an electric motor 22. The electric motor 22 includes at least one winding group having a set of windings. Each winding group is configured such that phase current is available to drive the rotor of the electric motor 22. The rotor can then be coupled to a corresponding component (e.g., rack 18) of the electromechanical steering system 14, thereby enabling the steerable road wheel 16 to move. Typically, the electric motor 22 may also include more than one winding group. Typically, each winding group is three-phase, such that the electric motor 22 is configured to be at least three-phase, optionally six-phase or nine-phase. If several winding groups are present, the winding groups allow the rotor of the electric motor 22 to move independently of the other winding groups.

[0050] Component 12b also includes a speed sensor 24 as part of the electromechanical steering system 14. The speed sensor 24 is coupled to the road wheel 16 and configured to detect the speed of the road wheel 16 in the circumferential direction.

[0051] The electromechanical steering system 14 of the motor vehicle 10 also includes a steering wheel 26. Using the steering wheel 26, the driver of the motor vehicle 10 can provide steering input to the vehicle 10 to turn the vehicle 10 in the desired direction.

[0052] The electromechanical steering system 14 includes a steering wheel actuator 28 coupled to a steering wheel 26. The steering wheel actuator 28 includes an electric motor 30. The electric motor 30 of the steering wheel actuator 28 also includes at least one winding assembly. Each winding assembly of the electric motor 30 is three-phase and configured to drive an electric motor rotor. As a result, the electric motor 30 can provide feedback torque to the driver via the steering wheel 26 of the vehicle 10 to provide feedback to the driver regarding the lateral control of the motor vehicle 10.

[0053] The electromechanical steering system 14 also includes at least one steering wheel sensor 32 coupled to the steering wheel 26. Each steering wheel sensor 32 is configured independently of the other steering wheel sensors 32 to detect the driver's steering preset based on the steering wheel angle and / or steering wheel speed of the steering wheel 26 compared to a reference position.

[0054] Components 12a and 12b also include an active suspension system 34. According to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 For example, the active suspension system 34 includes at least two length-adjustable spring devices 36.

[0055] The length-adjustable spring device 36 extends longitudinally parallel to the steering axis. The length-adjustable spring device 36 includes a component, such as a piston, that allows the total length of the length-adjustable spring device 36 to be variably adjusted along its longitudinal extension direction during operation. Typically, the arrangement and configuration of the length-adjustable spring device 36 allows for at least partial compensation of uneven terrain traveled by the vehicle 10.

[0056] The active suspension system 34 also includes suspension sensors 38 configured to detect the actual position of a portion of the chassis (e.g., a portion of the length-adjustable spring assembly 36) relative to a reference position. In the absence of uneven terrain, the chassis of vehicle 10 should have a nominal chassis position. Deviations may occur between the actual and nominal chassis positions due to adjustments in the length of the adjustable spring assembly 36 or due to uneven terrain. These deviations can be detected using the chassis sensors 38. In some examples, the active suspension system 34 may include several chassis sensors 38.

[0057] Components 12a and 12b also include a control device 40 with a data processing unit 42. Typically, the control device 40 may also be the control device for the electromechanical steering system 14 and / or the active suspension system 34. The control device 40 is at least indirectly connected to the road wheel actuator 20, the speed sensor 24, the steering wheel actuator 28, the steering wheel sensor 32, the adjustable spring device 36, and the chassis sensor 38.

[0058] Furthermore, components 12a and 12b include at least one position signal receiver 46, a speed and speed change sensor 48, an environmental sensor 50, and a user interface 52, all of which are at least indirectly connected to the control unit 40. The position signal receiver 46 can receive position signals from a global navigation satellite system, allowing the control unit 40 to determine the position of the vehicle 10 based on the received position signals. The speed and speed change sensor 48 is configured to detect ground speed and transmit the ground speed and speed change values ​​of the vehicle 10 corresponding to three orthogonally oriented axes (e.g., the steering axis, the vehicle's longitudinal axis, and the vehicle's lateral axis) to the control unit 40.

[0059] The environmental sensor 50 may include at least one of a camera, radar, lidar, and infrared sensor. The environmental sensor 50 sends the acquired environmental sensor data to the control device 40, which can determine whether the vehicle 10 is in an off-road environment based on the received environmental sensor data.

[0060] The user interface 52 can be used to issue notifications to the driver of the vehicle 10 from the control unit 40, or to receive user input from the vehicle user from the control unit 40. For example, the user interface 52 can be configured as a multimedia display.

[0061] The control device 40 shown here is part of components 12a, 12b. In some examples, the control device 40 may also be the control mechanism of the electromechanical steering system 14 and / or the active suspension system 34. The electromechanical steering system 14 and / or the active suspension system 34 may also include several components of the same type and generally the same function, thereby ensuring redundancy.

[0062] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of method 60 for operating the component is shown. Optional operations are shown in dashed lines. According to optional operation S1, method 60 is triggered at least when control device 40 determines, based on environmental sensor data, that vehicle 10 is in an off-road environment and / or vehicle 10 is stuck. In some examples, triggering of method 60 may be based on control device 40 receiving user input to trigger method 60.

[0063] Environmental sensor data can be recorded using environmental sensor 50 and transmitted to control device 40. Location data can be received using location signal receiver 46 and transmitted to control device 40. In this regard, control device 40 is equipped with methods for evaluating environmental sensor data and / or location signals received by location signal receiver 46. For example, control device 40 can compare the detected position of vehicle 10 with topographic map data to determine the environmental conditions around vehicle 10. For example, user input for triggering method 60 can be made using user interface 52.

[0064] If method 60 is triggered, control device 40 also notifies the driver via an output device associated with the triggered method 60 according to optional operation S2. For example, the output device may be part of user interface 52. In this way, the driver of vehicle 10 can be informed that control device 40 will take measures to increase traction.

[0065] In the following optional operation S3, the speed of at least one road wheel 16 of the vehicle 10 is recorded and transmitted to the control device 40. For example, a corresponding speed sensor 24 can be used for this purpose.

[0066] Method 60 then includes optional operation S4, wherein the control device 40 determines a first slip threshold based on at least one vehicle speed and / or based on a speed change value of vehicle 10 for a vehicle configuration present at a specific point in time. The control device 40 may use a speed and speed change sensor 48 for this purpose, which can record corresponding measurements of the vehicle speed and speed change values ​​of vehicle 10.

[0067] Method 60 includes a follow-up operation S5, in which the control device 40 determines at least one instance of wheel slippage of at least one road wheel 16 of the vehicle 10. Measurements from the speed sensor 24 may also be used here. Based on the vehicle speed detected by the speed and speed change sensor 48 and the recorded speed change values, the control device 40 knows the actual speed at which the road wheel 16 should rotate. Taking the actual speed into account, the wheel slippage of the road wheel 16 can thus be determined.

[0068] Then, the control device 40 evaluates whether the determined wheel slip exceeds the value of a first slip threshold. Since the value of the first slip threshold is adapted to the corresponding vehicle configuration in terms of vehicle speed and speed change value, this evaluation is specifically performed for the configuration at a given time.

[0069] If the determined wheel slip exceeds a first slip threshold value, the control device 40 will trigger at least one traction-increasing measure. According to operations S7, S8, and S9, traction-increasing measures are proposed in method 60. Typically, the control device 40 can trigger any combination of corresponding measures.

[0070] According to operation S7, the active suspension system 34 is acted upon by the suspension actuator of the control device 40, causing the length of at least one length-adjustable spring device 36 to increase. This increases the ground clearance under the motor vehicle 10.

[0071] In the context of operating S7, Figure 4A and Figure 4B A schematic diagram showing the increased length of the spring device 36 is shown. According to... Figure 4A As illustrated in the diagram, the length-adjustable spring device 36 has a first length L1. The length of the spring device 36 can be increased via a corresponding suspension signal from the control device 40, such as... Figure 4B As shown. The spring device 36 now has an increased length L2, which is greater than the initial length L1, i.e., a length difference L3. As a result, through the measures corresponding to operation S7, and Figure 4A Compared to the previous configuration, the ground clearance of vehicle 10 is increased by a length difference L3. This makes a portion of vehicle 10 (e.g., excluding the tread of the road wheel 16) less likely to contact the ground and thus less likely to result in a loss of traction. Therefore, this indirectly leads to an increase in the traction of vehicle 10.

[0072] In operation S7, operation S6 can optionally be considered, in which the control device 40 further compares the current chassis position of the vehicle 10's chassis with the nominal chassis position, and considers this comparison when applying a suspension control signal to the active suspension system 34. For this comparison, the control device 40 can utilize the chassis sensor 38. This means that the control device 40 can know whether the length of the adjustable spring device 36 can be further increased. Furthermore, the control device 40 can detect this by comparing the degree of deviation between the actual chassis position and the nominal chassis position. If the deviation is more significant, it can be assumed that this is due to uneven ground. This causes the control device 40 to increase the length of the adjustable spring device 36. Appropriate threshold conditions can be considered. For example, the deviation between the actual chassis position and the nominal chassis position may need to exceed the differential threshold of the suspension actuator issued according to operation S7.

[0073] As an alternative to or supplement to operation S7, operation S8 can also be triggered by control device 40. In operation S8, the electromechanical steering system 14 is pressurized by control device 40 with a rotation signal, causing at least one steerable road wheel connected to road wheel actuator 20 to perform 16 alternating rotational movements around the steering axis.

[0074] In the context of operating S8, Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheel 16 is shown. The steering angle is plotted on the y-axis as a comparison with time on the x-axis. Based on the driver's steering input using the steering wheel 26, the result is that the vehicle 10 will move along a defined driver steering angle 62. A rotation control signal now causes the steerable road wheel 16, affected by the rotation control signal, to perform alternating rotational motion about the driver steering angle 62, which corresponds to the resulting steering angle 64. The resulting steering angle 64 is adjusted so that the vehicle 10, on average, still follows the driver steering angle 62. According to this example, the resulting steering angle 64 has a sine series around the driver steering angle 62.

[0075] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the alternating rotational motion of a pair of steerable road wheels 16. The steering angles are plotted on the y-axis compared to time on the x-axis. With respect to the driver's steering angle 62, the steering angle 64 of the pair of road wheels 16 (e.g., the front axle) caused by the alternating rotational motion is shown. The final steering angles 64 of the respective road wheels 16 are configured correspondingly to each other, such that deviations from the driver's steering angle 62 compensate for each other.

[0076] As an alternative to or supplement to operations S7 and S8, operation S9 can also be triggered by control device 40. In operation S9, the electromechanical steering system 14 is pressurized by control device 40 with a lane positioning signal, such that the first steerable road wheel 16, coupled to road wheel actuator 20, is in a toe-in position relative to the track position of the vehicle 10 specified by the steering input. In these examples, the electromechanical steering system 14 has an additional road wheel actuator 20 coupled to the second steerable road wheel 16. The lane positioning signal issued to the electromechanical steering system 14 causes the second steerable road wheel 16, coupled to the additional road wheel actuator 20, to be in a toe-out position 68 relative to the track position of the vehicle 10 specified by the steering input.

[0077] In the context of operating S9, Figure 7A and Figure 7B A schematic diagram of the toe-in and toe-out positions of the steerable road wheel 16 is shown. The steering angle is plotted on the y-axis as a comparison with time on the x-axis. Again, the driver steering angle 62, defined by the driver's steering input on the steering wheel 26, is shown and reflects the track position of the vehicle 10. Figure 7A The diagram in the image illustrates the configuration of the static inner head position, while Figure 7B The configuration shown illustrates the construction of the static toe-in position. The toe-in and toe-out positions always refer to the road wheel 16 on the outside of the turn.

[0078] In the static toe-in position, the final steering angle 64 of the road wheel 16 on the inside of the turn is aligned in such a way that the alignment corresponding to the toe-in position 66 precedes the driver's steering angle 62. This means that the corresponding road wheel 16, which is steerable on the inside of the turn, has a larger rotation angle than actually required by the driver's steering angle 62.

[0079] In a corresponding manner, the road wheel 16 that can turn on the outside of the turn is aligned at a static toe-in position 68, such that the alignment corresponding to the toe-in position 68 lags behind the driver's steering angle 62. This means that the rotation angle of the corresponding steerable road wheel 16 on the outside of the turn is less than the rotation angle actually required by the driver's steering angle 62. The toe-in position 66 of the road wheel 16 on the inside of the turn corresponds to the toe-in position of the road wheel 16 on the outside of the turn, thereby compensating for the difference with the driver's steering angle 62, and the vehicle 10 steers according to the driver's steering angle 62.

[0080] When the configuration is as follows Figure 7B When the static toe-in position is shown, the road wheels 16 on the inside and outside of the turn have the opposite relationship to the toe-in position 66 and the toe-in position 68.

[0081] exist Figure 6In the configuration shown, the road wheel 16 is simultaneously in either toe-in position 66 or toe-out position 68 relative to the driver's steering angle 62. The alternating rotational motion and both the toe-in and toe-out positions 66 and 68 cause the tire sidewall of the steerable road wheel 16 to contact a portion of the ground (e.g., a rut wall), thereby directly increasing the traction of the vehicle 10.

[0082] Method 60 can also be further implemented via optional operation S10, wherein the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheel 16 is less than a predetermined rotational angle interval around the steering axis. Specifically, the rotational angle interval can be specified by control device 40, or alternatively by user input using user interface 52. The rotational angle interval represents a measure of the alternating rotational motion acceptable to the driver of vehicle 10.

[0083] Furthermore, method 60 can be further implemented via optional operation S11, wherein the period of the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheel 16 is shorter than a specified period threshold value. This causes the alternating rotational motion to occur according to a minimum speed. For example, the period threshold can be specified by control device 40. To this end, control device 40 can, for example, take into account the vehicle speed and / or speed change value of vehicle 10, such that the alternating rotational motion adapts to the vehicle speed or speed change value in terms of speed.

[0084] Operation S12 can also be provided as an option, wherein the driver steering angle 62 of the alternating rotational motion of the steerable road wheels 16 corresponds to the default direction defined by the driver's steering input. This is already about Figure 5 This has been explained. This ensures that, despite the alternating rotational motion, the vehicle 10 is still guided according to the driver's steering input.

[0085] This is already about Figure 6 This has been explained. The inner toe position 66 and outer toe position 68, formed in opposite directions relative to the driver's steering angle 62, compensate for individual deviations caused by the inner toe position 66 and outer toe position 68 alone. The vehicle 10 is then guided along the driver's steering angle 62 according to the designated lane position defined by the driver's steering input. However, the simultaneous inner toe position 66 and outer toe position 68 of a single steerable road wheel 16 requires that the road wheel 16 be individually steered via the steering wheel. For example, Figure 2 An example of component 12b can be used for this purpose, wherein each road wheel actuator 20 is assigned to a different steerable road wheel 16.

[0086] Method 60 may also include an optional operation S14. According to operation S14, control device 40 evaluates the wheel slip of road wheel 16 with respect to a determined value of a second slip threshold. The second slip threshold differs from the first slip threshold. The value of the second slip threshold may be specified by control device 40, for example, depending on the vehicle speed and / or speed change value of vehicle 10.

[0087] According to operation S14, if the determined wheel slip does not exceed the second slip threshold value within a specified number of control intervals during the design period, the control device 40 stops the output of suspension control signals and / or rotation control signals and / or lane control signals. Alternatively, if the vehicle speed is greater than a speed threshold, the output of the corresponding control signal is terminated. In these examples, the control device 40 may also utilize speed and speed change sensors 48. While a slip below the second slip threshold indicates sufficient traction for vehicle 10, which is why method 60 can be terminated, it is desirable to prevent interference with the active suspension system 34 and / or the electromechanical steering system 14 if the vehicle 10's speed is too high to prevent instability.

[0088] Therefore, method 60 can take various measures to increase the traction of vehicle 10 under challenging driving conditions. For example, active suspension system 34 and / or electromechanical steering system 14 can be used for this purpose.

[0089] Figure 3Example instructions and / or operations can be implemented using executable instructions (e.g., computer-readable and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on one or more non-transient computer-readable and / or machine-readable media. As used herein, the terms non-transient computer-readable medium, non-transient computer-readable storage medium, non-transient machine-readable medium, and / or non-transient machine-readable storage medium are explicitly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, excluding propagated signals and transmission media. Examples of such non-transient computer-readable medium, non-transient computer-readable storage medium, non-transient machine-readable medium, and / or non-transient machine-readable storage medium include optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, hard disk drives (HDDs), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), optical discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), caches, random access memory (RAM) of any type, registers, and / or any other storage device or storage disk, in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., long time period, permanent, transient, temporary buffer, and / or information cache). As used herein, the terms "non-transient computer-readable storage device" and "non-transient machine-readable storage device" are defined as including any physical (mechanical, magnetic, and / or electrical) hardware designed to retain information for a period of time, but excluding propagating signals and transmission media. Examples of non-transient computer-readable storage devices and / or non-transient machine-readable storage devices include any type of random access memory, any type of read-only memory, solid-state memory, flash memory, optical disk, hard disk, disk drive, and / or redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system. As used herein, the term "device" refers to a physical structure, such as mechanical and / or electrical equipment, hardware, and / or circuitry, which may or may not be configured with computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc., and / or be manufactured to execute computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc.

[0090] Figure 8 This is a block diagram of an example programmable circuit platform 800, which is configured to execute and / or instantiate example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations of the diagram [flowchart] to implement the examples disclosed herein. The programmable circuit platform 800 may be, for example, a control device, an electronic control unit (ECU), a self-learning machine (e.g., a neural network), or any other type of computing and / or electronic device.

[0091] The programmable circuit platform 800 illustrated includes a programmable circuit 812. The programmable circuit 812 illustrated is hardware. For example, the programmable circuit 812 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), vision processing units (VPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), and / or microcontrollers from any desired family or manufacturer. The programmable circuit 812 can be implemented by one or more semiconductor-based (e.g., silicon-based) devices.

[0092] The programmable circuit 812 of the illustrated example includes local memory 813 (e.g., cache, registers, etc.). The programmable circuit 812 of the illustrated example communicates with main memories 814, 816 (which include volatile memory 814 and non-volatile memory 816) via bus 818. Volatile memory 814 may be implemented using synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), RAMBUS® dynamic random access memory (RDRAM®), and / or any other type of RAM device. Non-volatile memory 816 may be implemented using flash memory and / or any other desired type of storage device. Access to the main memories 814, 816 of the illustrated example is controlled by a memory controller 817. In some examples, the memory controller 817 may be implemented using one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microcontrollers from any desired series or manufacturer, or any other type of circuitry to manage the flow of data into and out of main memories 814, 816.

[0093] The programmable circuit platform 800 shown in the example also includes interface circuitry 820. Interface circuitry 820 can be implemented in hardware according to any type of interface standard, such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Ethernet interface, Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, Bluetooth® interface, Near Field Communication (NFC) interface, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interface, and / or Peripheral Component Interconnect High Speed ​​(PCIe) interface.

[0094] One or more input devices 822 are connected to the interface circuitry 820 of the example shown. The input devices 822 allow a user (e.g., a human user, a machine user, etc.) to input data and / or commands into the programmable circuitry 812. The input devices 822 may be implemented using, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a button, a touchscreen, and / or a voice recognition system.

[0095] One or more output devices 824 are also connected to the interface circuitry 820 of the illustrated example. The output devices 824 may be implemented, for example, via display devices (e.g., light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), in-plane switching (IPS) displays, touchscreens, etc.), haptic output devices, and / or speakers. Therefore, the interface circuitry 820 of the illustrated example typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, and / or graphics processor circuitry, such as a GPU.

[0096] The interface circuit 820 of the example shown also includes communication devices, such as a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, modem, residential gateway, wireless access point, and / or network interface, to facilitate the exchange of data with external machines (e.g., any type of computing device) via network 826. Communication can be achieved through, for example, Ethernet connections, digital subscriber line (DSL) connections, telephone line connections, coaxial cable systems, satellite systems, beyond-line-of-sight wireless systems, line-of-sight wireless systems, cellular telephone systems, optical connections, etc.

[0097] The programmable circuit platform 800 shown in the example also includes one or more mass storage disks or devices 828 for storing firmware, software, and / or data. Examples of such mass storage disks or devices 828 include magnetic storage devices (e.g., floppy disks, drives, HDDs, etc.), optical storage devices (e.g., Blu-ray discs, CDs, DVDs, etc.), RAID systems, and / or solid-state storage disks or devices such as flash memory devices and / or solid-state drives (SSDs).

[0098] Machine-readable instructions 832 can be implemented by machine-readable instructions in the flowchart and can be stored on mass storage device 828, volatile memory 814, non-volatile memory 816 and / or at least one removable non-transient computer-readable storage medium (such as CD or DVD).

[0099] This disclosure may refer to quantities and numbers. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, these quantities and numbers should not be considered as limitations, but rather as examples of possible quantities or numbers in relation to this disclosure. In this context, the term "plural" may also be used to refer to a quantity or number. In this context, the term "plural" means any number greater than one, such as two, three, four, five, etc. The terms "approximately," "about," "close to," etc., indicate plus or minus 5% of the stated value.

[0100] Although this disclosure has been presented and described in conjunction with one or more examples, those skilled in the art will be able to make equivalent changes and modifications after reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0101] This document discloses methods and apparatus for operating vehicles in low-traction environments. Further examples and combinations thereof include the following: Example 1 includes a vehicle comprising an active suspension system, an electric steering system, and a controller configured to determine wheel slip of at least one road wheel of the vehicle, and in response to wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, to position a first road wheel of the vehicle in a toe-in position relative to the vehicle's track position, and to position a second road wheel of the vehicle in a toe-out position relative to the vehicle's track position.

[0102] Example 2 includes the vehicle of Example 1, wherein in response to wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, the controller is also configured to increase the length of at least a portion of the vehicle’s active suspension system.

[0103] Example 3 includes the vehicle of Example 2, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the length of at least said portion of the active suspension system based on the chassis position of the vehicle relative to the surface on which the vehicle travels.

[0104] Example 4 includes a device of any one or more of Examples 1-3, wherein, in response to wheel slippage exceeding a wheel slippage threshold, the controller is further configured to cause at least one of the first road wheel or the second road wheel to perform alternating rotational motions about the vehicle's steering axis.

[0105] Example 5 includes the vehicle of Example 4, wherein the alternating rotational motion is less than a predetermined rotational angle interval around the steering axis.

[0106] Example 6 includes a device of any one or more of Examples 1-5, wherein the wheel slip threshold can be configured based on at least one of the vehicle's speed or the speed variation of the vehicle.

[0107] Example 7 includes any one or more of the devices in Examples 1-6, wherein the controller is also configured to, based on determining that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment, position the first road wheel in a toe-in position and the second road wheel in a toe-out position.

[0108] Example 8 includes a device from any one or more of Examples 1-7, wherein the controller is also configured to generate a notification to the vehicle’s user interface based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold.

[0109] Example 9 includes a non-transient machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause programmable circuitry to perform at least the following operations: determine wheel slip of at least one road wheel of a vehicle, and, based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, position a first road wheel of the vehicle in an in-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position, and position a second road wheel of the vehicle in an out-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position.

[0110] Example 10 includes the non-transient machine-readable storage medium of Example 9, wherein, based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, programmable circuitry will increase the length of at least a portion of the vehicle’s active suspension system.

[0111] Example 11 includes the non-transient machine-readable medium of Example 10, wherein programmable circuitry will increase the length of at least said portion of the active suspension system based on the chassis position of the vehicle relative to the surface on which the vehicle travels.

[0112] Example 12 includes the non-transient machine-readable medium of Example 9, wherein, based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, programmable circuitry will cause at least one of the first road wheel or the second road wheel to perform alternating rotational motions around the vehicle's steering axis.

[0113] Example 13 includes the non-transient machine-readable medium of Example 12, wherein the alternating rotational motion is less than a predetermined rotational angle interval about the steering axis.

[0114] Example 14 includes a device of any one or more of Examples 9-13, wherein the wheel slip threshold can be configured based on at least one of the vehicle's speed or the speed variation of the vehicle.

[0115] Example 15 includes a device from any one or more of Examples 9-14, wherein, based on the determination that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment, the programmable circuitry will position the first road wheel in a toe-in position and the second road wheel in a toe-out position.

[0116] Example 16 includes a device that is one or more of Examples 9-15, wherein the programmable circuitry generates a notification to the vehicle’s user interface based on wheel slippage exceeding a wheel slippage threshold.

[0117] Example 17 includes a method comprising: determining wheel slip of at least one road wheel of a vehicle, and, based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, positioning a first road wheel of the vehicle in an in-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position, and positioning a second road wheel of the vehicle in an out-toe position relative to the vehicle's track position.

[0118] Example 18 includes the method of Example 17, wherein based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, it also includes increasing the length of at least a portion of the active suspension components of the vehicle.

[0119] Example 19 includes a method of any one or more of Examples 17-18, wherein, based on wheel slip exceeding a wheel slip threshold, it further includes causing at least one of the first road wheel or the second road wheel to perform alternating rotational motions about the vehicle's steering axis.

[0120] Example 20 includes one or more of the methods in Examples 17-19, wherein positioning the first road wheel of the vehicle in a toe-in position and the second road wheel in a toe-out position is also based on determining that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: Active suspension system; Electric power steering system; and The controller is configured as follows: Determine wheel slippage of at least one road wheel of the vehicle; and In response to the wheel slippage exceeding a wheel slippage threshold, the first road wheel of the vehicle is positioned in a toe-in position relative to the vehicle's track position, and the second road wheel of the vehicle is positioned in a toe-out position relative to the vehicle's track position.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, In response to the wheel slippage exceeding the wheel slippage threshold, the controller is also configured to increase the length of at least a portion of the vehicle's active suspension system.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, The controller is also configured to increase the length of at least the portion of the active suspension system based on the chassis position of the vehicle relative to the surface on which the vehicle travels.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, In response to the wheel slippage exceeding the wheel slippage threshold, the controller is further configured to cause at least one of the first road wheel or the second road wheel to perform alternating rotational motions about the steering axis of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein, The alternating rotational motion is less than a predetermined rotational angle interval around the steering axis.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The wheel slip threshold can be configured based on at least one of the vehicle's speed or changes in the vehicle's speed.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is also configured to, based on determining that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment, position the first road wheel in the toe-in position and the second road wheel in the toe-out position.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is also configured to generate a notification to the vehicle's user interface based on the wheel slippage exceeding the wheel slippage threshold.

9. A non-transient machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable circuit to perform at least the following operations: Determine wheel slippage of at least one road wheel of the vehicle; and Based on the fact that the wheel slippage exceeds the wheel slippage threshold, the first road wheel of the vehicle is positioned in the toe-in position relative to the vehicle's track position, and the second road wheel of the vehicle is positioned in the toe-out position relative to the vehicle's track position.

10. The non-transient machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein, Based on the fact that the wheel slip exceeds the wheel slip threshold, the programmable circuit will increase the length of at least a portion of the vehicle's active suspension system.

11. The non-transient machine-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, Based on the vehicle's chassis position relative to the surface on which the vehicle travels, the programmable circuitry will increase the length of at least the portion of the active suspension system.

12. The non-transient machine-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein, Based on the fact that the wheel slip exceeds the wheel slip threshold, the programmable circuit will cause at least one of the first road wheel or the second road wheel to perform alternating rotational motion around the steering axis of the vehicle.

13. The non-transient machine-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein, The alternating rotational motion is less than a predetermined rotational angle interval around the steering axis.

14. The non-transient machine-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein, The wheel slip threshold can be configured based on at least one of the vehicle's speed or changes in the vehicle's speed.

15. The non-transient machine-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein, Based on the determination that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment, the programmable circuit will position the first road wheel in the toe-in position and the second road wheel in the toe-out position.

16. The non-transient machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the programmable circuitry generates a notification to the user interface of the vehicle based on the wheel slippage exceeding the wheel slippage threshold.

17. A method comprising: Determine wheel slippage of at least one road wheel of the vehicle; and Based on the fact that the wheel slippage exceeds the wheel slippage threshold, the first road wheel of the vehicle is positioned in the toe-in position relative to the vehicle's track position, and the second road wheel of the vehicle is positioned in the toe-out position relative to the vehicle's track position.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, Based on the fact that the wheel slip exceeds the wheel slip threshold, the method also includes increasing the length of at least a portion of the active suspension components of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, Based on the wheel slippage exceeding the wheel slippage threshold, the method further includes causing at least one of the first road wheel or the second road wheel to perform alternating rotational motions around the steering axis of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein, Positioning the first road wheel of the vehicle in the toe-in position and the second road wheel in the toe-out position is also based on determining that the vehicle is operating in an off-road environment.

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