FWD vehicle drifting control: The handbrake-cornering technique

Race drivers employ expert techniques to exploit the limits of the vehicle performance. In particular, rally driving techniques involve vehicle cornering at high sideslip angles (drifting), and hence operation of the vehicle beyond the stable limits enforced by stability control systems. In this work we study drifting techniques applicable to Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD) drive-train configurations. We present data collected during the execution of handbrake-cornering maneuvers by an expert driver in a FWD vehicle. Consequently, we calculate cornering equilibria using a vehicle model with driven front wheels, and rear wheels “locked” at zero angular rate under application of the handbrake. A controller is designed to stabilize the vehicle with respect to the calculated equilibria, using steering and drive/brake torque control inputs. The controller is implemented in simulation to demonstrate the stabilization of unstable drifting steady-states.