GPS-Based Path Following Control for a Car-Like Wheeled Mobile Robot With Skidding and Slipping

Most wheeled mobile robot (WMR) controllers have been developed based on nonskidding and nonslipping assumptions. Unfortunately, wheel skidding and slipping are inevitable due to wheel tire-deformation; consequently, the stability and performance of these controllers are not guaranteed. This brief aims to develop a global positioning system (GPS)-based path following a controller for a car-like wheeled mobile robot in the presence of wheel skidding and slipping. The proposed control scheme uses real-time kinematic (RTK)-GPS and other aiding sensors to measure the WMR's posture, velocities, and perturbations due to wheel skidding and slipping. These measurements are applied to compensate the path following errors based on a backstepping controller. The reported experimental results validate the control scheme. With this solution, the WMR is able to maneuver with better precision in outdoor environments in the presence of wheel skidding and slipping.