System and method utilizing detected load for vehicle handling
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsEric A. Matoy, Richard N. Blust, Justin A. Ruediger, Chris A. Harrison
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of controlling drivability of a vehicle detects an overall load acting on the vehicle. A mass of the vehicle or an estimate thereof is obtained. A controller determines whether the vehicle is negotiating a curve during a driving situation. If the vehicle is negotiating a curve during the driving situation, the controller determines whether the vehicle has a tendency to oversteer or to understeer. The load acting on the vehicle is dynamically changed or a suspension stiffness of the vehicle is dynamically adjusted to reduce the tendency of the vehicle to oversteer or to understeer.
Claims19
A method of controlling drivability of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- detecting an overall load acting on the vehicle,
- obtaining a mass of the vehicle or an estimate thereof,
- determining, in a controller, whether the vehicle is negotiating a curve during a driving situation,
- if the vehicle is negotiating a curve during the driving situation, determining, in the controller, whether the vehicle has a tendency to oversteer or to understeer, and
- dynamically changing, independent of vehicle drive torque and braking, the aerodynamic load acting on the vehicle by controlling aerodynamic components of the vehicle or dynamically adjusting, independent of the vehicle drive torque, a suspension stiffness of the vehicle to reduce the tendency of the vehicle to oversteer or to understeer.
A driving stability control system for a vehicle comprising:
- vehicle load sensor structure constructed and arranged to obtain an overall load acting on a vehicle,
- vehicle information sensor structure constructed and arranged to obtain vehicle information including at least yaw, steering and speed information of the vehicle,
- first actuators constructed and arranged to control aerodynamic components of the vehicle,
- second actuators constructed and arranged to control a suspension of the vehicle, and
- a vehicle behavior controller constructed and arranged to receive the vehicle information and the overall load acting on the vehicle and based thereon, to send a signal to the first actuators to dynamically adjust, independent of vehicle drive torque and braking, the aerodynamic components to change an aerodynamic load on the vehicle, or to send a signal to the second actuators to dynamically adjust, independent of the vehicle drive torque, the suspension of vehicle, to reduce a tendency of the vehicle to oversteer or understeer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.