Vehicle Drift Control With Driver Input and Stability Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated and assisted driving technologies face challenges in managing vehicles during drifting, as they struggle to balance path tracking and stability, often limiting performance to prevent tire traction loss, which restricts drivers' ability to intentionally drift for efficient turns.
Innovation Solution
The system uses an electronic control unit (ECU) to initiate and maintain a stable drift, providing corrective assistance through throttle, steering, and brake actuators, and allows drivers to perform simulated maneuvers to control the vehicle, ensuring it remains within a stable drift condition using vehicle state space understanding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If automated driving systems limit vehicle performance to prevent tire traction loss, then vehicle stability is improved, but driving efficiency and path tracking performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the drift condition by continuously monitoring vehicle state parameters (lateral acceleration, yaw rate, sideslip angle) and modifying actuator commands in real-time. This allows the vehicle to maintain stable drift operation while adapting to changing driving conditions, resolving the contradiction between stability and driving efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements closed-loop feedback control by sensing vehicle state parameters and using them to adjust actuator commands. The ECU receives feedback from sensors measuring lateral acceleration, yaw rate, and other parameters, then modifies throttle, steering, and brake commands to maintain optimal drift conditions, enabling both stability and efficient path tracking
2Reliability
If automated driving systems intervene to maintain stability during drift, then unsafe drift conditions are prevented, but driver control and maneuverability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial intervention by providing corrective assistance only when drift conditions approach unstable thresholds. The ECU monitors vehicle state parameters and applies minimal necessary corrections to keep the drift within stable boundaries, allowing the driver to maintain primary control while ensuring safety
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system acts as an intermediary between the driver's control inputs and the vehicle's actual response. Rather than directly controlling the vehicle, the system modifies actuator commands in response to driver inputs, providing subtle guidance to maintain stable drift while preserving the driver's intent and control authority
3Manufacturing precision
If the system optimizes control across multiple actuators to maintain stable drift, then drift condition precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the control task by assigning specific functions to different actuators based on current drift conditions. The ECU determines which actuators (throttle, steering, brake, clutch) are most effective for maintaining stable drift at any given moment, dividing the complex control problem into manageable segments that can be handled by individual actuators
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves precise drift control by continuously adjusting actuator parameters (throttle position, steering angle, brake pressure, clutch engagement) based on real-time vehicle state measurements. By changing these parameters dynamically rather than using fixed control settings, the system maintains precise drift conditions without requiring overly complex hardware
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of controlling a vehicle in a stable drift are provided. With the goal of enhancing the driver experience, the disclosed drift control systems provide an interactive drift driving experience for the driver of a vehicle. In some embodiments, a driver is allowed to take manual control of a vehicle after a stable drift is initiated. For safety reasons, an assisted driving system may provide corrective assistance to prevent the vehicle from entering an unstable/unsafe drift. In other embodiments, an autonomous driving system retains control of the vehicle throughout the drift. However, the driver may perform “simulated drift maneuvers” such as counter-steering, and clutch kicking in order to communicate their desire to drift more or less aggressively. Accordingly, the autonomous driving system will effectuate the driver's communicated desire in a manner that keeps the vehicle in a safe/stable drift.