Look-ahead control of road vehicles for safety and economy purposes

The paper proposes a look-ahead cruise control method considering both energy efficiency and the safety of vehicle motion. Based on the curve radius of the road, a method is proposed for the calculation of the safe cornering velocity, which is used in the look-ahead control design process. If the speed limit is in conflict with the calculated safe cornering velocity, the latter is applied in the energy optimization process of the look-ahead control algorithm. Thus, the designed velocity is coherent with the terrain characteristics, the speed limits and the geometry of the road as well, enabling the vehicle to travel safely and energy efficiently along the path. The main novelty of the paper is the consideration of the safe cornering velocity in the look-ahead design, improving energy efficiency and the safety of the vehicle during various maneuvers.