Method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle computer model

A method of operating a vehicle computer model having vehicle information and path information therein the vehicle computer model being operated with at least one occurrence of intentionally induced oversteer, said method being operable on a digital computer system and comprising the steps of:

• (a) determining a rear side slip angle of said vehicle computer model;
• (b) determining an initial steering wheel angle that is input to said vehicle computer model;
• (c) when said rear side slip angle is determined to be greater than a predetermined threshold, determining a look ahead scale factor and increasing the distance of a look ahead point substantially on or near a driver intended vehicle path as a function of said look ahead scale factor;
• (d) determining a new steering wheel angle, which is input to said vehicle computer model at a time later than said initial steering wheel angle, based on the difference between said driver intended vehicle path and said look ahead point on or near said driver intended vehicle path;
• (e) operating said vehicle computer model with said initial steering wheel angle when the difference is less than a second predetermined threshold or said new steering wheel angle;
• when the difference is more than a second predetermined threshold;
• and
• (f) generating an output in response to said vehicle computer model and said initial steering wheel angle or said new steering wheel angle.

A method of operating a vehicle computer model having vehicle information and path information therein the vehicle computer model being operated with at least one occurrence of intentionally induced oversteer, said method comprising the steps of:

• determining a rear side slip angle of said vehicle computer model;
• determining an initial steering wheel angle that is input to said vehicle computer model;
• determining a look ahead point that is substantially on or near a driver intended vehicle path for said vehicle computer model;
• when said rear side slip angle is determined to be greater than a predetermined threshold, determining a look ahead scale factor and increasing the distance of said look ahead point as a function of said look ahead scale factor;
• when said rear side slip angle is alternatively determined to be less than said predetermined threshold, maintaining the distance of said look ahead point;
• when said vehicle computer model is determined to be headed off a predetermined target, determining a new steering wheel angle, which is input to said vehicle computer model, based on the difference between said intended vehicle path with said driver look ahead point on or near said driver intended vehicle path;
• operating said vehicle computer model with said initial steering wheel angle when the difference is less than a second predetermined threshold or said new steering wheel angle when the difference is more than a second predetermined threshold;
• and
• generating an output in response to said vehicle computer model and said initial steering wheel angle or said new steering wheel angle.