Artificial Flow Guidance Method for Combined Off-Tracking and Stability Improvement for Automated Articulated Vehicles

This paper considers an integrated control method combining autonomous driving and active steering. By using artificial flow guidance (AFG), the steering at all five axles on a tractor–semitrailer are synchronized for precise low-speed path tracking and improved lateral stability. AFG is a motion planning method which uses velocity vectors to guide the motion of the vehicle; here, two modification on AFG are proposed to form the integrated-AFG which improves the transient performance and generalizes the choice of the tracking points. Simulations rendered in TruckMaker show submillimeter level steady-state off-tracking for a broad speed range, with maximum deviation being 1 cm for a high-speed lane change; amplification of trailer lateral motion is also suppressed, with rearward amplification (RWA) < 1 maintained throughout. This control method is robust to changes in key parameters such as trailer mass and road friction coefficient. The methods presented provide a new foundation for implementing automated freight transportation on highways.