Optimal Model Predictive Acceleration Controller for a Combustion Engine and Friction Brake Actuated Vehicle

This paper investigates how model predictive control can be used to control the acceleration of an over actuated vehicle equipped with a combustion engine and friction brakes. The control problem of keeping appropriate comfort and low energy consumption and simultaneously follow an acceleration reference is described. Vehicle and actuator models are developed and the model predictive controller is tested for an adaptive cruise control cut in scenario in simulation. To be able to quantify the benefit of the proposed model predictive controller, the performance is analyzed and compared with a state of the art PID controller.