Estimated State-Based Optimal Path Planning and Control System for Lane-Keeping of Semi-Trailer Trucks

Abstract

In this paper, a novel lane-keeping path planner and steering wheel angle controller are proposed for semi-trailer trucks. These vehicles exhibit different dynamic charac-teristics compared to conventional passenger vehicles due to the presence of an articulation angle and variations in the weight of the trailer. To account for these unique characteristics, a hitch angle estimator is utilized to generate an optimal lane-keeping path. Furthermore, an optimal steering controller based on Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) is designed utilizing the dynamics model of the vehicle, and the estimated mass of each unit from the mass estimator is used to improve the control performance. The performance and robustness of the proposed lane keeping system is validated in simulations with trailer weight variations.