Degradation Dynamics Based Reliability Assessment of Unmanned Ground Vehicles

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) represent a new type of intelligent transportation tool. The reliability modeling and assessment of the UGV electromechanical system performance are closely associated with the realization of system functionalities and the stability of performance. During the operation of the system, the performance of components is affected by the dynamic changes in time and environment, impacting the system performance. This paper proposes a method for reliability modeling and assessment of the UGV system performance based on a degradation dynamics model. Utilizing Simulink, a simulation platform for the UGV motion control is designed. Considering the impact of component degradation on system input parameters and output responses, a model for system damage behavior under multivariate time-varying wear is developed. Ultimately, the reliability of UGV is assessed based on comprehensive evaluation indicators such as real-time positional error and speed error. The proposed methodology aids in uncovering the causal relationship between component degradation and system deterioration, facilitating the integrated design of performance and reliability for the UGV.