Methods for modeling the steering wheel torque of a steer-by-wire vehicle

Unlike electromechanical steering systems, steer-by-wire systems do not have a mechanical coupling between the wheels and the steering wheel. Therefore, a synthetic steering feel has to be generated to supply the driver with the necessary haptic information. In this paper, the authors analyze two approaches of creating a realistic steering feel. One is a modular approach that uses several measured and estimated input signals to model a steering wheel torque via mathematical functions. The other approach is based on an artificial neural network. It depends on steering and vehicle measurements. Both concepts are optimized and trained, respectively, to best fit a reference steering feel obtained from vehicle measurements. To carry out the analysis, the two approaches are evaluated using a simulation model consisting of a vehicle, a rack actuator, and a steering wheel actuator. The research shows that both concepts are able to adequately model a desired steering feel.

Study on decomposition and calculation method of EPS assist characteristic curve

Steering feel is closely related to the matching of the EPS assist characteristic curve, however, due to the lack of theoretical basis for the design of the EPS assist characteristic curve, the steering feel can only be changed indirectly by adjusting the magnitude of assist, which is very difficult. To control steering feel directly and reduce the difficulty of adjustment, this paper proposes a decomposition and calculation method of the EPS assist characteristic curve. At first, the mechanism of the EPS assist characteristic curve is revealed. It is found that the process of designing and adjusting the EPS assist characteristic curve is a process of changing the corresponding relationship between the steering wheel torque and the steering motion intensity based on considering vehicle dynamic characteristics. On this basis, the driver’s desired steering motion intensity and the pinion angle position are taken as intermediate variables, the EPS assist characteristic curve is decomposed into three parts: driving style, steady-state inverse characteristics of chassis dynamics, and steady-state inverse characteristics of steering system dynamics. According to the designed driving style and the calibrated steady-state inverse characteristics of chassis dynamics and steering system dynamics, the EPS assist characteristic curve can be directly calculated. The test results show that the EPS system adopting assist characteristic curve calculated can realize the designed driving style and provide consistent and controllable steering feel on the premise of meeting the requirements of steering portability and road feel.