Pitch motion suppression of electric vehicle active suspensions based on multibody dynamics

Abstract

Active suspension control strategies are proposed to suppress pitch motion and address the issue of motion sickness among electric vehicle passengers. In this work, we investigate the performance of the linear quadratic regulator (LQR), variable universe fuzzy control, adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), and fuzzy PID control under continuous acceleration and deceleration and bumpy road conditions. First, a 14-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) dynamics model of an electric vehicle is developed based on a semirecursive multibody dynamics method, which was originally proposed by Javier García de Jalón. The vehicle dynamics simulation is performed to accurately model the vehicle states and responses. Second, the LQR, variable universe fuzzy control, ANFIS, and Fuzzy PID control algorithms are tailored via vehicle states, including pitch, rate, and acceleration. Their performances are investigated and compared in detail. Finally, the robustness of the proposed control strategies is further discussed based on various speed bump parameters and initial velocities. The results indicate that the proposed control strategies are capable of suppressing the pitch motion of electric vehicles, enhancing the riding comfort under diverse operating conditions, thereby reducing the likelihood of motion sickness among passengers of electric vehicles.