Fault-Tolerant Stability Control for Independent Four-Wheel Drive Electric Vehicle Under Actuator Fault Conditions

Various torque distribution and stability control algorithms have been studied along with the development of four-wheel drive vehicles. But, most of those algorithms focus only on performance improvement. Since the independent four-wheel drive system is based on four drive motors, faults can occur in a motor or an inverter. If a fault occurs, the vehicle stability is not guaranteed and a fatal accident can occur. In this study, the fault-tolerant stability control algorithm for remaining healthy motors is proposed. This fault-tolerant control (FTC) system contains torque distribution and stability control algorithms. For accurate control of motor allocation, driving conditions such as under/over-steering, and steering direction should be considered, as well as vehicle condition such as fault motor location and motor performance limits. The proposed FTC is evaluated with two fault conditions (e.g., front motor fault, rear motor fault) under straight acceleration and constant steering acceleration scenarios. The behavior characteristics and driving risks caused by failures of motors while driving are analyzed. Also, the FTC algorithm is accurately follow a desired path within a minimum error range that the driver can cover.