Emulating the Lateral Dynamics of a Range of Vehicles Using a Four-Wheel-Steering Vehicle

The concept of a Variable Dynamic Testbed Vehicle (VDTV) has been proposed as a tool to evaluate collision avoidance systems and to perform driving-related human factors research, among others. The goal of this study is to analytically investigate to what extent a VDTV with four-wheel-steering can emulate the lateral dynamics of a broad range of vehicle models. Using a particular mid-sized vehicle as a baseline, our study indicated that this mid-sized vehicle modelled with a closed-loop four-wheel-steering system can be controlled to emulate the lateral response characteristics of a range of vehicles, from “small” to “full-size,” reasonably well over a speed range of interest. A novel steering control configuration that has the potential to improve further the “degree of emulation” has also been proposed.