Estimating Road Angles With the Knowledge of the Vehicle Yaw Angle

Abstract

This paper presents a method of estimating road angles using state observers and three types of sensors (lateral acceleration sensors, longitudinal velocity sensors, and suspension displacement sensors). The proposed method differs from those in most existing literature in three aspects. First, a "full-state" vehicle model is used to describe nonlinear vehicle dynamics on a sloped road. Second, "switching observer" techniques are used to suggest suitable sensors and to construct state observers. Lastly, the road angles are described by three Euler angles, and two of them are estimated simultaneously. The analysis indicates that (1) road angles affect vehicle dynamics through components of the gravitational force acting on the vehicle body. These gravitational forces can be correctly estimated with an estimation accuracy less than 7.5%, even when road angles vary with time. (2) Those road angles can be correctly estimated only when the vehicle yaw angle is known.