A bond graph model incorporating sensors, actuators, and vehicle dynamics for developing controllers for vehicle safety

The process of developing controllers for vehicle dynamics requires reasonable models that expose the important dynamic effects without being excessively complicated. The controllers require sensors, signal processing, and actuation, and these parts must be incorporated and demonstrated using vehicle models. Bond graphs are a concise pictorial representation of all types of interacting energy domains, and are an excellent tool for representing vehicle dynamics with associated control hardware. This paper develops a four-wheel, nonlinear vehicle dynamic model with electrically controlled brakes and steering, as well as control at each suspension corner. Controllers are not developed here but are demonstrated through simulation.