Robust predictive control design for automatic steering

This paper presents a feasibility study of the robust predictive control for the design of an automatic steering system. The involved vehicle is a full-scale nonlinear model of a BMW520i and the feedback is only on the lateral displacement. The robustness feature is particularly motivated by variations in velocity, tyre-road contact and vehicle mass. The control design is performed using a sensitivity function shaping procedure that heavily borrows from the robust control culture. Intensive simulations are carried out to emphasize the performance of the proposed automatic steering system.