Road Slope Prediction and Vehicle Dynamics Control for Autonomous Vehicles

— Autonomous vehicles can enhance overall performance and implement safety measures in ways that are impossible with conventional automobiles. These functions are executed through vehicle control systems, which have been the subject of considerable research. Autonomous cars have a distinct advantage as they possess various perception sensors that can predict road surface conditions and other phenomena ahead of time. Many modern automotive control systems treat the road slope as a constant and don’t account for changes in the road profile in their vehicle models. As a result, vehicle states may be miscalculated, which, in the worst-case scenario, may result in accidents. This is particularly true for high center-of-gravity vehicles like trailers and delivery trucks. With the help of perception sensors in autonomous vehicles, a road slope estimation system can be developed to aid these control systems in making informed decisions regarding the vehicle’s state. The current review is divided into three logical steps that can be discussed in the following manner: the first section describes and reviews the individual steps for developing a road slope estimation system. The second one provides a detailed review of previous investigations that implemented different methods that employ this prediction system to improve overall vehicle performance. Finally, a roll control system is presented as an innovative idea that builds on the whole discussion. A rollover prevention system with prediction abilities is presented because (1) it proves to be a critical safety feature, especially for heavy vehicles like buses, trucks, delivery trailers, etc., and (2) not enough research has been conducted on technologies that integrate a roll stability controller with a slope estimation system.