Analysis of Driver's Steering and Speed Control Strategies in Curve Negotiation

• Published in: Vehicle system dynamics 2000, Vol.33 (sup1), p.94-109
• Main Authors: Savkoor, Arvin R., Ausejo, Sergio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Collision avoidance; Curves (road); Man machine systems; Mathematical models; Speed control; Steering
• ISSN: 0042-3114; 1744-5159
• DOI: 10.1080/00423114.1999.12063073

The paper discusses some of the common speed and steering control strategies of drivers for negotiating curved roads under normal, obstacle-free driving conditions. An analysis is given of the dynamic behaviour of the driver-vehicle system for two typical strategies. A driver model is developed to take into account the application of steering and speed control before approaching a curve and during driving on curved roads. The driver's anticipatory speed-control is based on the desired lateral acceleration and estimated maximum curvature of the road ahead. The well-known two-level model is adapted for describing the steering activity of the driver. The primary control of steering is anticipatory tracking of the road-curvature previewed at a look-ahead distance. It is assumed that the driver's mental model for anticipatory steering is based on a simple, linear and non-adaptive vehicle model assuming a vehicle driving with constant forward speed. A non-linear model with variable forward speed represents the actual vehicle. When both steering input and speed control using brake/throttle are applied simultaneously the driver's anticipatory steering estimate leads to tracking errors. The driver's compensatory steering input for reducing tracking errors uses feedback of error in lateral displacement at a near-field viewpoint of the driver. The results of analysis of the driver-vehicle system demonstrate the significant influence of the driver's internal model and control strategies on the overall performance of the driver-vehicle system.