Observer-based state-feedback robust control for path following of autonomous ground vehicles

Abstract

In this article, a robust $H_{\infty }$ observer-based static state-feedback controller is designed for the path following of autonomous ground vehicles. The Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy modeling technique is used for modeling of vehicle dynamics with varying longitudinal velocity first. Then considering the high cost of direct lateral velocity measurement, an observer is designed to estimate the value of lateral velocity. Meanwhile, a robust controller is proposed to deal with the parameter uncertainties and external disturbances simultaneously, including the variation of the tire-cornering stiffness of both front and rear tires. Afterward, the condition of designing such an observer-based controller is transformed into the feasible problem of linear matrix inequalities. Numerical simulations using a high-fidelity and full vehicle model are performed based on a Carsim–Simulink joint platform. Simulation results under different conditions and comparison with other controller show that the proposed controller is effective irrespective of the variation in the road condition, the change in the vehicle longitudinal velocity and the external disturbances.