Variable structure controller design for steer-by-wire system of a passenger car

The electric power steering (EPS) system was developed and the steer-by-wire (SBW) system achieves the purposes of EPS. The advantages of SBW are packaging flexibility, advanced vehicle control system, and superior performance. No mechanical linkage exists between the steering gear and steering column in the SBW system. The steering wheel and front-wheel steering can be controlled independently. The SBW system consists of two motors controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU). One motor is in the steering wheel and develops the steering feel of the driver and the other motor is in the steering linkage and improves vehicle maneuverability and stability. Moreover, the active front steering (AFS) system can be added to the SBW system. AFS reduces the difference between actual and estimated vehicle yaw rate. Up-to-date information from the steering wheel enables drivers to identify road conditions through the tire force, which should be fed back to the steering wheel. Furthermore, several control algorithms related to the vehicle and motor can be used together through the self-aligning torque, which is fed back to the steering wheel. This study proposes a method to control the vehicle yaw rate through an SBW system. This control method is based on a PID control method for the steering-wheel-motor controller, as well as on a sliding mode control (SMC) method for the front-wheel-motor controller and yaw stability controller. The SBW system is modeled using a bond graph method. Results imply that the controllers are robust enough when in contact with nonlinear properties of tire and road conditions. This study is expected to guide further research on the SBW system.