Steering rack travel control for misalignment compensation

A system for operating a vehicle, comprising:

• a first steering system for a first axle of the vehicle;
• a processor configured to:
• determine the first axle to have a misaligned wheel thereon;
• apply a non-zero steering wheel angle to a steering wheel of the vehicle to maintain the vehicle moving straight with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle with the misaligned wheel;
• measure a value of the non-zero steering wheel angle that maintains the vehicle moving straight;
• determine a misalignment angle of the misaligned wheel from the value of the non-zero steering wheel angle;
• determine a reduced travel range for the first axle from a first nominal travel range of the first axle and the misalignment angle, wherein the reduced travel range allows for a movement of the misaligned wheel without contacting the vehicle;
• and
• activate the first steering system to steer the vehicle by limiting the movement of the first axle using the reduced travel range.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a first steering system for a first axle of the vehicle;
• a second steering system for a second axle of the vehicle;
• a processor configured to:
• determine the first axle to have a misaligned wheel thereon;
• apply a non-zero steering wheel angle to a steering wheel of the vehicle to maintain the vehicle moving straight with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle with the misaligned wheel;
• measure a value of the non-zero steering wheel angle that maintains the vehicle moving straight;
• determine a misalignment angle of the misaligned wheel from the value of the non-zero steering wheel angle;
• determine a reduced travel range for the first axle from a first nominal travel range of the first axle and the misalignment angle, wherein the reduced travel range allows for movement of the misaligned wheel without contacting the vehicle;
• determine an extended travel range for the second axle based on the misalignment angle of the misaligned wheel on the first axle, wherein the extended travel range is greater than a second nominal travel range of the second axle;
• activate the first steering system to steer the vehicle by limiting the movement of the first axle using the reduced travel range;
• and
• activate the second steering system to steer the vehicle by limiting the movement of the second axle using the extended travel range.