A quantitative feedback design for the turning control of a tracked vehicle

A vehicle turning control system is developed; for the M113 tracked vehicle. The vehicle model is nonlinear, parameter varying, and implicit. It is approximated by a set of transfer function matrices. The turning control involves controlling both vehicle linear speed and heading rate by both using the throttle and steering. This is a two-input-two-output control design problem. Using Horowitz' quantitative feedback theory allows a robust control design to be obtained. It consists of two loops, one for the speed using the throttle control and one for the heading rate using the steering control. The speed loop needs to track the speed command and reject the disturbances caused by the steering. The rate loop needs to track the rate command only, since the coupling between the throttle and the rate is negligible for this particular vehicle. The control system performed well in simulations.<>