Sliding mode control to design a driver model for vehicle steering: Experimental validation and stability evaluation of sideslip motion*

This paper presents a driver model based on first-order sliding mode control for the steering control of the vehicle. This strategy calculates the steering angle which must be applied to a nonlinear 4-wheel model under high lateral accelerations. Sliding mode control has limitations due to the phenomenon of chattering which damages the actuator; this problem is overcome using a continuous function. Part of this work focuses on the synthesis of the nonlinear control using a linear parameter-variant model. Another part is devoted to experimental validation using real data acquired using a Peugeot 307 vehicle developed by INRETS-MA. Speed extrapolation tests of this control law, coupled with a nonlinear 4-wheel model, were also performed in order to evaluate situations under high dynamic loads on a bend, using stability criteria on the vehicle sideslip motion.