Vehicle Corner Stability Control Using Predicted Lateral Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic stability control systems in vehicles are reactive, leading to potential driver panic and unnecessary interventions by selectively braking one wheel, without proactive measures to prevent understeering or oversteering.
Innovation Solution
A method that proactively determines expected lateral acceleration based on road curvature and vehicle speed, issuing warnings, reducing engine torque, and applying brakes when thresholds are exceeded, with adjustments for trailers to anticipate stability issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reactive electronic stability control is used to correct understeering or oversteering, then vehicle stability is improved, but driver panic increases and unnecessary wheel braking interventions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by proactively determining expected lateral acceleration based on recognized course ahead and current vehicle speed before the instability occurs. When the expected lateral acceleration exceeds a first threshold, the system issues a warning to the driver. If it exceeds a second threshold, engine torque is reduced. If it exceeds a third threshold, brake actuation occurs. This preliminary intervention prevents the need for reactive stability control corrections, thereby reducing driver panic and unnecessary wheel braking interventions while maintaining vehicle stability.
2Reliability
If selective brake force application to one wheel is used to reduce understeering or oversteering, then vehicle stability is improved, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines expected lateral acceleration in advance using a formula that comprises recognized course ahead (from navigation or environmental sensors) and determined vehicle speed (from wheel sensors or satellite navigation). By calculating the expected lateral acceleration before the vehicle enters the curve, the system can proactively issue warnings, reduce engine torque, or actuate brakes to prevent instability, thereby simplifying the control logic compared to reactive systems that must continuously monitor and correct actual understeer or oversteer conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary calculation layer that determines expected lateral acceleration based on road geometry and vehicle speed before instability occurs. This intermediary parameter serves as a predictor that triggers preventive actions (warnings, torque reduction, or brake actuation) at three different thresholds, reducing the need for complex real-time reactive control algorithms that would otherwise be required to detect and correct actual stability deviations.
3Productivity
If proactive determination of expected lateral acceleration is implemented with multiple thresholds and reactions, then the number of electronic stability control activations is reduced, but the complexity of the control logic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control logic is segmented into three distinct threshold levels with specific reactions for each: first threshold triggers a warning to the driver, second threshold triggers engine torque reduction, and third threshold triggers brake actuation. This segmentation of the control response into discrete, hierarchical levels simplifies the overall logic compared to a single complex reactive control system, as each threshold has a predetermined, simple response that reduces ESC activations while maintaining safety.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method of increasing corner stability of a vehicle, wherein a course ahead of a road on which the vehicle is driving and a speed of the vehicle are determined, an expected lateral acceleration is determined, and a reaction may be activated based on the lateral acceleration. The invention relates further to a corresponding electronic control module.