State Estimation Method for Electric Vehicle Semi-Active Suspensions Considering Time-Varying Parameters and Non-Gaussian Noise

An Adaptive-Parameter Maximum Correntropy Kalman Filter (APMCKF) algorithm is proposed to address state estimation degradation in semi-active suspensions caused by non-linear coupling between time-varying physical parameters and non-Gaussian noise. First, a time-varying dynamic model with non-linear damping is established via bench tests. A genetic algorithm (GA) globally optimizes key physical parameters to suppress model mismatch. Second, the APMCKF integrates an adaptive suspension parameter update mechanism. This closed-loop mechanism refreshes the system state matrix in real-time, effectively overcoming state-tracking lag. Concurrently, the maximum correntropy criterion (MCC) is embedded within the Sage–Husa recursive framework to dynamically reconstruct the observation noise covariance matrix, ensuring robust filtering under heavy-tailed noise. Simulations under ISO Class A–D random road profiles demonstrate that the APMCKF reduces the root-mean-square error (RMSE) by 62.33–81.24% compared to the adaptive Kalman filter (AKF). It also outperforms the adaptive-parameter Kalman filter (APKF), yielding a 27.49% accuracy improvement on Class D roads where non-Gaussian noise is most severe. Moreover, comparative evaluations against standard non-linear Bayesian filters demonstrate that the APMCKF successfully overcomes the truncation errors of the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and the tracking hysteresis of the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF), reducing the average RMSE by up to 74.98% and 60.76%, respectively, under severe Class D non-Gaussian excitations. Furthermore, the algorithm exhibits excellent disturbance rejection under transient speed bump impacts and maintains stable error reduction across vehicle speeds of 10–25 m/s. Ultimately, the APMCKF delivers high-precision estimation and exceptional robust stability under variable speeds and non-Gaussian disturbances.