Vehicle trajectory control for precise route following

A method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

• through one or more controllers, determining an intended driving path of the vehicle;
• through one or more controllers, determining locations of first virtual repelling nodes along a first boundary spaced from the intended driving path;
• through one or more controllers, determining locations of second virtual repelling nodes along a second boundary spaced from the intended driving path;
• through one or more controllers, using at least some of the first virtual repelling nodes to generate a first virtual repelling curve;
• through one or more controllers, using at least some of the second virtual repelling nodes to generate a second virtual repelling curve;
• through one or more controllers, calculating first virtual repelling forces between one or more positions of the vehicle and the first virtual repelling curve;
• through one or more controllers, calculating second virtual repelling forces between one or more positions of the vehicle and the second virtual repelling curve;
• through one or more controllers, steering the vehicle at least in part using the first virtual repelling forces and the second virtual repelling forces;
• and
• steering the vehicle using a Comfort Mode and a Precision Mode, wherein in Precision Mode, the first virtual repelling curve and the second virtual repelling curve are located more closely together than in Comfort Mode.

A vehicle comprising:

• one or more steered wheels;
• and
• one or more electronic controllers programmed to control the steered wheels and collectively programmed with the following instructions:
• determine an intended driving path of the vehicle;
• determine locations of virtual attracting nodes on the intended driving path;
• determine locations of virtual repelling nodes along one or more boundaries spaced from the intended driving path or located at obstacles near the intended driving path;
• calculate virtual attractive forces between one or more positions of the vehicle and the virtual attracting nodes;
• calculate virtual repelling forces between one or more positions of the vehicle and the virtual repelling nodes;
• control the steered wheels at least in part using the virtual attractive forces and the virtual repelling forces;
• and
• use the virtual attractive forces and the virtual repelling forces to determine a cost, the cost further determined by a rate of change of a steering angle of the vehicle;
• wherein
• the instruction to control the steered wheels further includes an instruction to use the cost in a model predictive controller that controls the steered wheels.