Scale-Model Vehicle Analysis for the Design of a Steering Controller

Abstract

This Trident project investigates the design of a driver assistance steering controller. The initial goal of this research was to modify an off-the-shelf radio controlled (RC) car to make it dynamically similar to full-size automobiles. Using ratios of vehicle parameters (known as P groups), the Buckingham-Pi theorem was applied to analyze both the scale vehicle and a variety of full-size vehicles. To establish the standards by which to modify the RC car, the P groups of actual automobiles have been calculated using published data. Before any of the RC car's P groups could be calculated, different parameters of the RC car needed to be measured. Based on comparisons of corresponding P groups, appropriate modifications have been made to achieve dynamic similitude. A control system was designed to control the lateral and longitudinal position of the RC car. The control system stabilized the vehicle but will require further tuning to achieve accurate tracking. After performing an experiment consisting of a lane change maneuver, the data from the RC car was compared to data from similar experiments using full-size automobiles. Similarity between the results verifies the dynamic similitude of the RC car and the full-size automobiles.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA416124

Entities

People

  • Philip C. Hoblet

Organizations

  • United States Naval Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Center Of Gravity
  • Computers
  • Control Systems
  • Data Acquisition
  • Frequency
  • Maneuvers
  • Models
  • Moment Of Inertia
  • Notch Filters
  • Scale Models
  • Standards
  • Surfaces
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test Beds
  • United States Naval Academy
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Robotics and Automation.