Analysis of Trailer Position Error in an Autonomous Robot-Trailer System With Sensor Noise

A low cost solution for controlling trailer lateral position in a robotic tractor-trailer system is being considered. In this paper, several practical issues involved in the implementation of such a system are presented. Instruments for navigation and control consist of a single GPS receiver and a hitch-mounted sensor for the measurement of the angle between robot (tractor) and trailer. In previous work, the authors examined the effects of errors in the hitch-angle measurement on path tracking performance. This analysis was expanded to include the effects of noise in the GPS measurements. The relative merits of mounting the GPS receiver on the robot or trailer are considered.