Enhanced Fifth Wheel Modelling and Testing

A two dimensional dynamic model, which provides a full description of a vehicle motion based on sensory input, is presented. The model has three sensory inputs: the velocity of a fifth wheel; the orientation of the fifth wheel with respect to the vehicle; and the yaw rate of the vehicle. Based on these inputs, the model determines the position, velocity, acceleration and the yaw angle of the vehicle. The results of experiment with an instrumented vehicle, which were designed to verify the validity and accuracy of the model, are reported.