Vehicle Control System for Trailer Sway Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
When applying a vehicle behavior control technique to a tractor to suppress swaying during towing, it can inadvertently accelerate yaw rate responses and lead to excessive or ineffective attitude control, potentially worsening the swaying phenomenon.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that includes a steering device, a driving force control mechanism, and a processor to restrict driving force reduction based on increasing steering angles and repeated yaw rate reversals, preventing unnecessary deceleration and controlling the brake device to suppress swaying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If driving force reduction control is activated based on steering angle increase to improve vehicle attitude control, then turn-in ability and steering stability are improved, but during towing operations with swaying phenomenon, the yaw rate response is accelerated causing excessive or unnecessary attitude control that may worsen the swaying
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on operating conditions. The processor detects whether the vehicle is in a towing operation mode and whether swaying phenomenon is occurring, then selectively enables or disables the driving force reduction control. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize steering responsiveness during normal operation while preventing excessive attitude control during towing with swaying, thereby resolving the contradiction between steering responsiveness and vehicle attitude stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors yaw rate and steering angle to detect swaying phenomenon during towing operations. When swaying is detected, the processor provides feedback to disable the driving force reduction control, preventing it from exacerbating the swaying. This feedback mechanism ensures that the control system responds appropriately to actual vehicle conditions, maintaining stability during towing while preserving steering responsiveness during normal operation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If driving force is reduced to suppress swaying phenomenon during towing, then trailer sway is reduced, but the swaying phenomenon may be promoted or insufficiently suppressed due to accelerated yaw rate response
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates the driving force reduction control function from the overall vehicle control system when operating in towing mode with swaying phenomenon. By selectively disabling this specific control function under these conditions, the system prevents it from interfering with the sway suppression effort, thereby ensuring that only appropriate control actions are taken to suppress trailer sway effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter state by disabling the driving force reduction control when swaying is detected during towing. This parameter change (from enabled to disabled) prevents the acceleration of yaw rate response that would otherwise occur, allowing the brake control mechanism to suppress swaying without the conflicting effect of driving force reduction, thus improving the reliability of sway suppression.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a vehicle control system capable of, when a swaying phenomenon occurs during towing, preventing the swaying phenomenon from becoming worse due to driving force reduction control based on an increase in steering angle-related value. This vehicle control system comprises a steering wheel, a driving force control mechanism to control a driving force of a vehicle, and a power-train control module to control the driving force control mechanism. The power-train control module is operable, upon an increase in steering angle, to control an engine to reduce an output torque of the engine and, when a reversal of yaw rate of the vehicle is repeated in a situation where the vehicle is performing a towing operation, to restrict the output torque reduction based on the increase in the steering angle.