Open-loop vehicle collision avoidance and rollover prevention using previewed Zero-Moment Point

This research estimates the minimum intervention distance needed for a vehicle to safely avoid an obstacle, while also preventing wheel lift and tire skid. The intervention strategy considered is an open-loop lane change avoidance trajectory. As the vehicle approaches the obstacle, it continually determines the available lane change maneuver, relying on predictions of the Zero-Moment Point (ZMP) metric to determine if lane change candidates may cause the onset of wheel lift. The approach used here considers both flat roads and banked curves that may occur due to highway design policy. Results show that larger distances between the vehicle and obstacle are needed to safely intervene when wheel lift and tire skid are considered.