Integrated vehicle control of an in-wheel-motor vehicle to optimize vehicle dynamics and energy consumption

For future mobility intended to decrease energy consumption by smaller and lighter body and also by applying low RRC (Road Resistance Coefficient) tires, there is a possibility that maneuverability and stability of such a vehicle will become reduced than current conventional vehicles. To solve this problem, a benchmark study is announced by `Committee of vehicle control and modeling research' of JSAE (Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan) and SICE (Society of Instrument and Control Engineers) aiming to utilize the knowledge of system control academia for actual industry problems. The problem is to develop an integrated control of independent driving / braking torque, steering angle and camber angle of each wheel of an in-wheel-motor vehicle for both improvements in vehicle maneuverability and stability index and also minimizing energy consumption. In this paper, definition of the problem, vehicle and test conditions and a model for the simulation are described. As a template of controller, some examples of controllers and their results are also introduced.