Method for determining a steering roll radius, steering/braking method, controller and utility vehicle

A method for steering-braking a commercial vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining a steering roll radius;
• initiating a steering braking maneuver as a function of the determined steering roll radius, in which the vehicle is steered by asymmetrical application of wheel brakes at least of a steered axle;
• wherein said determining a steering roll radius includes:
• during a journey, initiating an asymmetrical braking maneuver on the steered axle of the vehicle, in which a first braking force is applied to a first wheel of the steered axle, which is greater than a second braking force applied to a second wheel of the steered axle;
• during the asymmetrical braking maneuver, determining a steering command signal input from a driver or a vehicle system;
• during the asymmetrical braking maneuver, evaluating a steering maneuver caused by the asymmetrical braking maneuver;
• evaluating the asymmetrical braking maneuver as a function of determined data;
• and,
• determining at least a sign of the steering roll radius of at least the first wheel as a function of said evaluating the asymmetrical braking maneuver.

A control unit of a vehicle, the control unit comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon;
• a processor;
• said program code being configured, when executed by said processor, to:
• during a journey, initiate an asymmetrical braking maneuver on a steered axle of the vehicle, in which a first braking force is applied to a first wheel of the steered axle, which is greater than a second braking force applied to a second wheel of the steered axle;
• during the asymmetrical braking maneuver, determine a steering command signal input from a driver or a vehicle system;
• during the asymmetrical braking maneuver, evaluate a steering maneuver caused by the asymmetrical braking maneuver;
• evaluate the asymmetrical braking maneuver as a function of determined data;
• and,
• determine at least a sign of a steering roll radius of at least the first wheel as a function of the evaluating the asymmetrical braking maneuver.

A vehicle comprising:

• at least one steered axle with a first steered wheel and a second steered wheel;
• at least one further axle;
• a braking system including a plurality of wheel brakes provided on the first and second steered wheels of the steered axle and the further axle and a brake control unit;
• a steering system having at least one of a steering torque sensor for detecting a steering torque and a steering wheel angle sensor for detecting a steering wheel angle;
• the steering system further having a steering control unit;
• and,
• wherein at least one of the brake control unit and the steering control unit is configured as a control unit including a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon;
• the program code being configured, when executed by said processor, to:
• during a journey, initiate an asymmetrical braking maneuver on the steered axle of the vehicle, in which a first braking force is applied to the first wheel of the steered axle, which is greater than a second braking force applied to the second wheel of the steered axle;
• during the asymmetrical braking maneuver, determine a steering command signal input from a driver or a vehicle system;
• during the asymmetrical braking maneuver, evaluate a steering maneuver caused by the asymmetrical braking maneuver;
• evaluate the asymmetrical braking maneuver as a function of determined data;
• and,
• determine at least a sign of a steering roll radius of at least the first wheel as a function of the evaluating the asymmetrical braking maneuver.