An Adaptive Cruise Control Using Wheel Torque Management Technique

This paper describes a longitudinal control method with an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system using a wheel torque management technique. The wheel torque management technique can control vehicular speed by the following procedure without tuning parameters. First, the ACC module calculates a command speed from a desired headway distance and from output data of the radar sensor. Secondly, it calculates a required wheel torque to take the command speed, current speed and running resistance into consideration. Thirdly, the management module controls actuators based on the command wheel torque and characteristics of each vehicle. If the required wheel torque is positive, the management module orders adjustment of the throttle opening position and a change of the gear ratio in the automatic transmission. If the command wheel torque is negative, the management module activates the electronic brake in accordance with the magnitude of the command wheel torque.

This ACC system was installed on a test vehicle. Experiments showed the vehicle follows a preceding vehicle at the speed of the command speed within ±0.3[m/s] deviation.