System and method for dynamic Ackerman control

An articulated vehicle comprising:

• a tractor vehicle;
• a trailer vehicle;
• at least one Ackermannn geometry actuator;
• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving vehicle information associated with ongoing movement of the articulated vehicle;
• receiving a driver optimization preference;
• executing, based on the driver optimization preference, an Ackermann control algorithm, wherein:
• inputs to the Ackermann control algorithm comprise:
• the vehicle information;
• and
• at least one feedback item, the at least one feedback item indicating if a previous output of the Ackermann control algorithm was correct;
• and outputs of the Ackermann control algorithm comprise:
• estimations of tire forces for each tire of the articulated vehicle;
• and
• estimations of cornering characteristics of the articulated vehicle;
• calculating, based on vehicle sensor data of the articulated vehicle, a desired Ackermann geometry for the articulated vehicle;
• and
• transmitting, to the at least one Ackermann geometry actuator of the articulated vehicle, a modification signal, the modification signal providing to the at least one Ackermann geometry actuator a command to modify a turning angle associated with at least one wheel of the articulated vehicle.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stored within a tractor of an articulated vehicle, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving vehicle information associated with ongoing movement of the articulated vehicle;
• receiving a driver optimization preference;
• executing, based on the driver optimization preference, an Ackermann control algorithm, wherein:
• inputs to the Ackermann control algorithm comprise:
• the vehicle information;
• and
• at least one feedback item, the at least one feedback item indicating if a previous output of the Ackermann control algorithm was correct;
• and
• outputs of the Ackermann control algorithm comprise:
• estimations of tire forces for each tire of the articulated vehicle;
• and
• estimations of cornering characteristics of the articulated vehicle;
• calculating, based on vehicle sensor data of the articulated vehicle, a desired Ackermann geometry for the articulated vehicle;
• and
• transmitting, to at least one Ackermann geometry actuator of the articulated vehicle, a modification signal, the modification signal providing to the at least one Ackermann geometry actuator a command to modify a turning angle associated with at least one wheel of the articulated vehicle.