Design and implementation of a robust controller for lateral and longitudinal dynamics of an autonomous vehicle

In this paper a robust controller design task for longitudinal and lateral dynamic of non-identical autonomous road vehicles is considered. In order to use identical controllers for different vehicles the varying parameters are regarded as unstructured model uncertainties. How unstructured model uncertainties are described and how they are taken into account during the controller design process is shortly presented. The used control concept for plants with model uncertainties in form of a standard H_ - control task is described. The resulting longitudinal and lateral control laws for non-identical vehicles are discussed concerning the varying vehicle parameters. The first practical results with respectively one control law for longitudinal and lateral dynamic of non-identical autonomous vehicles are presented. It is shown that through the appropriate choice of design parameters, varying vehicle dynamics can be taken into account without substantial losses regarding accuracy and dynamics. Copyright (C) 2001 IFAC.