Chassis Coordinated Control for Corner Module Architecture Electric Vehicles with Single Wheel Overcoming Obstacle

doi:10.3901/JME.260280

Abstract

Abstract: Corner module architecture electric vehicles demonstrate superior trafficability and stability over conventional vehicles in challenging road conditions. To address the problem of passing over low obstacles that cannot be circumvented and may be encountered by any wheel during driving, this paper designs a coordinated chassis control strategy for stabilizing the vehicle during single wheel obstacle crossing. Firstly, a variable degree-of-freedom dynamics model is established to simulate the three-wheel driving scenario with one wheel lifted. Secondly, stability during three-wheel driving is ensured through centroid transfer. The vertical load on the wheel diagonally opposite to the lifted wheel is significantly reduced, allowing the majority of the vehicle's weight to be supported by the remaining two wheels. Furthermore, during three-wheel driving, changes occur in the vertical loads on each wheel. These variations not only lead to alterations in slip rates, resulting in changes to longitudinal forces, but also cause shifts in cornering stiffness, which in turn affect steering characteristics. Both effects contribute to path deviation. Subsequently, a variable degree-of-freedom controller based on active suspension was designed, along with a traction control system to prevent excessive slip of the driving wheels and a path-following controller to ensure directional stability. These controllers were integrated to form a coordinated chassis control system. Finally, real vehicle tests of the variable degree-of-freedom control and simulation verification under corresponding road conditions demonstrate that the designed active suspension controller reliably achieves variable degree-of-freedom operation on the real vehicle and maintains stability thereafter. The coordinated chassis controller effectively ensures the vehicle safely traverses low obstacles with a height of 200 mm and a width of 300 mm, while maintaining excellent path tracking performance with a maximum deviation of only 64 mm, significantly improving the vehicle's mobility and driving stability.

Key words: electric vehicles, corner module architecture, variable degree-of-freedom control, chassis coordination, path tracking

CLC Number:

U467

LIU Shuaishuai, ZHANG Lipeng, MA Haoran, WANG Xingyu, ZHANG Junda, ZHAO Minghui, ZHEN Longxin. Chassis Coordinated Control for Corner Module Architecture Electric Vehicles with Single Wheel Overcoming Obstacle[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2026, 62(8): 382-397.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Reference Manager|ProCite|BibTeX|RefWorks

URL: http://www.cjmenet.com.cn/EN/10.3901/JME.260280

http://www.cjmenet.com.cn/EN/Y2026/V62/I8/382

References

[1] ZHANG Y T,NI J,TIAN H,et al. Integrated robust dynamics control of all-wheel-independently actuated unmanned ground vehicle in diagonal steering[J].Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing,2022,164(1):108263.
[2] 王之中,余荣杰,皮大伟.顶层设计目标导向交叉融通服务未来--国家自然科学基金委员会交通与运载工程学科建设回顾与展望[J].前瞻科技,2023,2(3):5-20.WANG Zhong,YU Rongjie,PI Dawei. Top design,goal orientation,cross and integration,perspectiveness:Review and prospect of the construction of transportation and vehicle engineering discipline by the national Natural science foundation of China[J]. Science and Technology Foresight,2023,2(3):5-20.
[3] 杨泽坤,李韶华,王振峰.基于自适应变参数MPC的分布式驱动智能车轨迹跟踪控制[J].机械工程学报,2024,60(6):363-377.YANG Zekun,LI Shaohua,WANG Zhenfeng. Trajectory tracking control of distributed driving intelligent vehicles based on adaptive variable parameter MPC[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2024,60(6):363-377.
[4] 吴晓君,马广强,李妍,等.轮毂电机驱动的全向运行型AGV的位姿纠偏研究与实验[J].机械科学与技术,2021,40(12):1877-1884.WU Xiaojun,MA Guangqiang,LI Yan,et al. Posture correction based on omnidirectional AGV driven by in-wheel motor[J]. Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology,2021,40(12):1877-1884.
[5] 金贤建,王佳栋,徐利伟,等.轮毂电机驱动电动汽车主动悬架μ综合鲁棒控制研究[J].机械工程学报,2024,60(16):259-269.JIN Jianxian, WANG Jiadong, XU Liwei, et al.μ-synthesis robust control for active suspension of in-wheel-motor-driven electric vehicles[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2024,60(16):259-269.
[6] 张雷,王祺,王震坡,等.基于线控制动的分布式驱动电动汽车制动俯仰角舒适控制研究[J].机械工程学报,2024,60(10):463-475.ZHANG Lei,WANG Qi,WANG Zhenpo,et al. Research on brake pitch comfort control for distributed-drive electric vehicles based on brake-by-wire system[J].Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2024,60(10):463-475.
[7] 张寒,刘开华,王春燕,等.四轮分布式线控转向系统稳定与协调控制研究[J].机械工程学报,2024,60(10):425-438.ZHANG Han,LIU Kaihua,WANG Chunyan,et al.Research on stability and coordination control of four-wheel distributed steering-by-wire system[J].Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2024,60(10):425-438.
[8] ATAEI M,KHAJEPOUR A,JEON S. Rollover stabilities of three-wheeled vehicles including road configuration effects[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers,Part D:Journal of Automobile Engineering,2017,231(7):859-871.
[9] ATAEI M,KHAJEPOUR A,JEON S. A general rollover index for tripped and un-tripped rollovers on flat and sloped roads[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers,Part D:Journal of automobile engineering,2017,233(2):304-316.
[10] PHANOMCHOENG G,RAJAMANI R. New rollover index for the detection of tripped and untripped rollovers[J]. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics,2013,60(10):4726-4736.
[11] LIANG Z C,ZHAO J,DONG Z,et al. Torque vectoring and rear-wheel-steering control for vehicle's uncertain slips on soft and slope terrain using sliding mode algorithm[J]. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology,2020,69(4):3805-3815.
[12] RAGHEB H,EL-GINDY M. Design of active yaw controller integrated with ABS and TCS for multi-wheeled vehicles[J]. International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing,2019,13(4):340-357.
[13] BOUTON N,LENAIN R,THUILOT B,et al. An active anti-rollover device based on predictive functional control:Application to an all-terrain vehicle[C] //2009 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.IEEE,2009:1309-1314.
[14] HAJILOO R,KHAJEPOUR A,KASAIEZADEH A,et al. Integrated lateral and roll stability control of multi-actuated vehicles using prioritization model predictive control[J]. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology,2022,71(8):8318-8329.
[15] GUO Z Z,LIU F,SHANG Y Z,et al. Longitudinal and lateral stability control for autonomous vehicles in curved road scenarios with road undulation[J]. Engineering Computations,2023,40(9/10):2814-2840.
[16] JIN Z,ZHANG L,ZHANG J,et al. Stability and optimised H∞control of tripped and untripped vehicle rollover[J]. Vehicle System Dynamics,2016,54(10):1405-1427.
[17] ZHANG L P,LI L,QI B N. Rollover prevention control for a four in-wheel motors drive electric vehicle on an uneven road[J]. Science China Technological Sciences,2018,61(6):934-948.
[18] 张聪,刘爽,赵丁选,等.多作动器协同的特种车辆主动悬架控制方法[J].机械工程学报,2025,61(8):228-239.ZHANG Cong,LIU Shuang,ZHAO Dingxuan,et al.Multi-actuator cooperation empowered active suspension control method for special vehicles[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2025,61(8):228-239.
[19] 余曼,周辰雨,魏朗,等.基于T-S模糊模型的车辆电液悬架系统H∞控制[J].中国公路学报,2018,318):205-217.YU Man,ZHOU Chenyu,WEI Lang,et al. TakagiSugeno fuzzy-model-based automobile electrohydraulic active suspension H-infinity control[J]. China Journal of Highway and Transport,2018,31(8):205-217.
[20] NI L W,WU L,ZHANG H S. Parameters uncertainty analysis of posture control of a four-wheel legged robot with series slow active suspension system[J]. Mechanism and Machine Theory,2022,175:104966.
[21] ZHAO R C,XIE W,WONG P K,et al. Adaptive vehicle posture and height synchronization control of active air suspension systems with multiple uncertainties[J].Nonlinear Dynamics,2020,99:2109-2127.
[22] WANG J T,YANG C,LIU S S,et al. Vehicle posture wheelbase preview control of in-wheel motors drive intelligent vehicle on potholed road[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers,Part D:Journal of Automobile Engineering,2025,239(12):5494-5506.
[23] HAMERSMA H A,ELS P S. Improving the braking performance of a vehicle with ABS and a semi-active suspension system on a rough road[J]. Journal of Terramechanics,2014,56:91-101.
[24] THEUNISSEN J,SORNIOTTI A,GRUBER P,et al.Regionless explicit model predictive control of active suspension systems with preview[J]. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics,2020,67(6):4877-4888.
[25] WANG J P,ZHANG X L,Dong Y W,et al. Roll stability control of in-wheel motors drive electric vehicle on potholed roads[J]. Control Engineering Practice,2025,157:106247.
[26] LIU S S,ZHANG L P,LIU Y F,et al. Motion posture control of corner module architecture intelligent electric vehicle on deep-potholed roads[J]. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics,2024,29(6):4480-4491.
[27] 赵明慧,郭浩然,张利鹏,等.四轮独立转向分布式驱动电动汽车单轮转向失效行驶稳定性控制[J].机械工程学报,2024,60(10):507-522.ZHAO Minghui,GUO Haoran,ZHANG Lipeng,et al.Driving stability control of four-wheel independent steering distributed drive electric vehicle with single wheel steering failure[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2024,60(10):507-522.
[28] 张雷,王子浩,孙逢春,等.四轮轮毂电机驱动智能电动汽车转向失效容错控制研究[J].机械工程学报,2021,57(20):141-152.ZHANG Lei,WANG Zihao,SUN Fengchun,et al.Fault-tolerant control for intelligent four-wheelindependently-actuated electric vehicles under complete steer-by-wire system failure[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2021,57(20):141-152.