On vehicle longitudinal controller design

Two methodologies for designing a longitudinal controller for an automated vehicle are presented and compared. The first, parameter scheduling, involves a linearization of vehicle dynamics about a number of operating points, and the specification of an observer/controller compensator for each of those points. The second emphasizes an explicit accounting for nonlinearities in the selection of a nonlinear observer/controller compensator. The utility of these approaches was evaluated by designing a controller for vehicle operation on dry roads under nonemergency conditions and then evaluating controlled vehicle performance by a digital computer simulation. In contrast to the first approach, the second approach can be extended to design an observer/controller compensator for the full range of such conditions.