Virtual environment for developing electronic power steering andsteer-by-wire systems

摘要

Describes a virtual environment for developing automotiveelectronic power steering (EPS) and steer-by-wire (SBW) systems. In thisvirtual environment, a feedback uniaxial dynamic rack force for the EPSsystem or a steering column feedback torque for the SBW system isapplied physically to the EPS or SBW hardware by a pneumatic or electricactuator. A command signal for the actuator is generated from a virtualvehicle handling dynamics model that is simulated in real time by a veryfast digital signal processor. The inputs to the real-time vehicledynamic simulation model are steering angles driven through a steeringsystem by a driver. By a simple force-feedback experiment it is shownthat the proposed virtual environment may be used as a usefuldevelopment tool for EPS and SBW systems