Vehicle Stability Control Using Self-Steering Gradient Deviation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional stability control systems in vehicles, such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), react late to vehicle instabilities due to high intervention thresholds, leading to significant deviations from the intended path, especially for inexperienced drivers, increasing the risk of accidents.

Innovation Solution

A method for controlling a vehicle that involves determining a target self-steering gradient and an actual self-steering gradient, detecting deviations between them, and initiating early driving dynamics interventions using vehicle actuators to counteract instability, such as braking or engine torque adjustments, to stabilize the vehicle before it deviates significantly from the intended path.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional stability control systems use high intervention thresholds to prevent incorrect interventions, then reliability is improved, but response time deteriorates causing late detection of instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of incorrect interventionsVSAvoidresponse time for instability detection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis by continuously monitoring the self-steering gradient and comparing it with target values before instability fully develops. This early detection mechanism allows the system to prepare for potential interventions in advance, reducing the actual response time when intervention is needed while maintaining reliable discrimination between normal and abnormal conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback by comparing the actual self-steering gradient with the target self-steering gradient. This closed-loop monitoring provides real-time information about vehicle stability status, enabling the system to detect deviations early and respond appropriately without waiting for traditional instability thresholds to be exceeded.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If conventional stability control systems intervene only after instability thresholds are exceeded, then false interventions are reduced, but vehicle path deviation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereduction of false interventionsVSAvoidvehicle path deviation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses continuous feedback comparison between actual and target self-steering gradients to detect instability early, before significant path deviation occurs. This allows interventions to be triggered at appropriate moments without requiring excessive path deviation, thereby reducing both false interventions and actual path deviations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces traditional mechanical/physical instability thresholds with a computational comparison of self-steering gradients. This substitution allows for more precise and earlier detection of instability conditions, enabling interventions that prevent path deviation rather than merely responding to it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If stability control systems wait for driver recognition of instability, then driver control is maintained, but safety deteriorates for inexperienced drivers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver control autonomyVSAvoidsafety for inexperienced drivers

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous feedback about vehicle stability through self-steering gradient monitoring, enabling the control system to detect and correct instability before it becomes apparent to the driver. This maintains driver control while adding a safety layer that is particularly beneficial for inexperienced drivers who may not recognize instability cues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary anti-action by counteracting instability through driving dynamics interventions before the driver perceives or responds to the instability. This preemptive approach maintains safety for inexperienced drivers while preserving their ultimate control authority over the vehicle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS20250340200A1Method for controlling a vehicle by carrying out at least one driving dynamics intervention

Publication Date: 2025.11.06 ZF CV SYST GLOBAL GMBH

AI summary

A method is for controlling a vehicle in a driving situation. The method includes determining a target self-steering gradient of the vehicle for the driving situation; determining an actual steering angle of the vehicle in the driving situation; determining an actual self-steering gradient of the vehicle in the driving situation based on the actual steering angle; determining a target/actual deviation between the target self-steering gradient and the actual self-steering gradient; providing a first limit value for the target/actual deviation; detecting early an instability of the vehicle if the determined target/actual deviation violates the first limit value; and in response to the early detection of an instability of the vehicle: performing at least one vehicle dynamics intervention using at least one vehicle actuator of the vehicle to counteract the instability of the vehicle.