<p>This thesis adopts a novel approach to propelling and controlling the dynamics of a vehicle by using autonomous corner modules (ACM). This configuration is characterised by vehicle controlled functions and distributed actuation and offers active and individual control of steering, camber, propulsion/braking and vertical load.</p><p>Algorithms which control vehicles with ACMs from a state-space trajectory description are reviewed and further developed. This principle involves force allocation, where forces to each tyre are distributed within their limitations. One force allocation procedure proposed and used is based on a constrained, linear, least-square optimisation, where cost functions are used to favour solutions directed to specific attributes.</p><p>The ACM configuration reduces tyre force constraints, due to lessen estrictions in wheel kinematics compared to conventional vehicles. Thus, the tyres can generate forces considerably differently, which in turn, enables a new motion pattern. This is used to control vehicle slip and vehicle yaw independently. The ACM shows one important potential; the extraordinary ability to ensure vehicle stability. This is feasible firstly due to closed-loop control of a large number of available actuators and secondly due to better use of adhesion potential. The ability to ensure vehicle stability was demonstrated by creating actuator faults.</p><p>This thesis also offers an insight in ACM actuators and their interaction, as a result of the force allocation procedure.</p>

Abstract Parmotrema austrosinense (Zahlbr.) Hale lichens were collected from the Pretoria central business district (CBD), as well as three sites to the east of Pretoria; the National Botanical Gardens, the CSIR campus and the suburb of Lynnwood, with the aim of utilising these lichens as biomonitors of air quality to determine the effects of the phasing out of leaded petrol and the simultaneous introduction of manganese anti-knock additives to fuel in South Africa. In addition to lichens, roadside dust and soil samples were collected from the CBD and CSIR campus, and all samples were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after acid digestion. There was no significant difference (95 % confidence) between the Mn content of lichens from all sampling sites (overall average of 97.1 ± 39.1 μg.g-1, n= 28), which was most likely due to an even suspension of Mn-containing particles arising from soil dust. Additional contributions to Mn loading as a result of vehicle emissions were currently not evident. For all non-CBD sites, higher Pb levels were found in lichens which were nearer to busy roads, suggesting an historical impact by vehicular emissions of Pb arising from leaded petrol usage. The Pb concentrations in lichens found in the CBD (average of 181.1 ± 98.0 μg.g-1, n=10) were significantly higher (95 % confidence limits) than those of lichens growing outside of the CBD area (average of 41.5 ± 36.4 μg.g-1, n=18), and the Pb levels were higher than those of Mn, which was contrary to that found in sites outside the CBD.

In recent years, the number of vehicles has increased dramatically in Europe, USA and Japan. This causes a high traffic density and makes new security features a crucial point in order to keep the traffic safe. Inter-vehicle communication offers solutions in this field, as cars can communicate with each other. To this date, there is no special technology standardized for inter-vehicle communication. This is the reason why car makers, researchers and academics have invested money and time in different research projects so that in future they may come up with a common solution. Some of the technologies like DSRC, CALM, IEEE 802.11 or Infrared are thought to be more reliable than others according to different authors [9][23]. The technologies described above will help to improve road safety and application scenarios like lane change, blind merge or pre and post crash situations can be addressed. The position of each car is known through a GPS; speed, heading and other dynamic data of a car are known to all cars in the same vicinity. In this thesis, a thorough investigation of services and applications related to inter-vehicular communication technology (i.e. car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure or vice versa) will be carry out. The emphasis will be on requirements on the communication system, sensors and user interface in order to make the technology more useful for future vehicle alert system and to avoid as many of the mentioned scenarios as possible. A rear-end collision can be avoided if the driver is warned within 0 to 5 second of potential accident.

Den här rapporten ämnar svara på frågan om och med hur mycket tröskelvärdena av alla inkommande komponenter, tillhörande ett MD-80 Engine change kit, kan höjas med och vilka kostnadsbesparingar en sådan höjning kan medföra. Undersökningen har föranletts av företaget SAS Components vilja att få reda på om en optimering av tröskelvärden kan leda till en minskning av kasserade komponenter hos dem. / This report’s aim is to verify if it is possible, and if so, by how much SAS Component could increase the threshold values of all incoming components belonging to an MD-80 Engine Change Kit. How would this raise in the components threshold lower SAS Component’s expenses?

Sammanfattning Dagens stigande bränslepriser gör det alltmer viktigt för tillverkare samt brukare av fordon, att fokusera på detaljer som kan minimera drivmedelåtgången. Scania linjetrafikbussar är utrustade med ett antal olika konfigurationer av kåpor som figurerar på bussarnas tak. Projektet har således innefattat att undersöka dessa ur ett aerodynamisk perspektiv i Mälardalens högskolas låghastighetsvindtunnel, förlagt vid Hässlö i Västerås. Resultaten som uppnåddes är att motståndskofficienten kan reduceras från CD=0,46 till CD=0,41 genom att omplacera orginalkåporna på andra positioner över taket. CD =0,39 erhålls genom att bruka de aerodynamiskt modifierade kåporna. Det skapar en vinst på 55-60 000 kr för orginalkåporna och motsvarande en vinst på 75-80 000 kr för de modifierade kåporna, räknat under bussens livslängd och en drivmedelkostnad på 8 kr/l. Beräkningarna är snålt tilltagna för att ej ge ett överskattat värde, utan är mer ett resultat i underkant. I bilagorna figurerar även andra värden som ger än mer större vinst i kronor Resultat uppnås då man tenderar minimera det återcirkulerande och energialstrande flöde som skapas inledningsvis på bussens tak under dess färd.

No description available.

This thesis describes the fuzzy logic based control system for an automated guided vehicle ( AGV ) designed to navigate from one position and orientation to another while avoiding obstacles. A vehicle with an onboard computer system and a beacon based location system has been used to provide experimental confirmation of the methods proposed during this research. A simulation package has been written and used to test control techniques designed for the vehicle. A series of navigation rules based upon the vehicle's current position relative to its goal produce a fuzzy fit vector, the entries in which represent the relative importance of sets defined over all the possible output steering angles. This fuzzy fit vector is operated on by a new technique called rule spreading which ensures that all possible outputs have some activation. An obstacle avoidance controller operates from information about obstacles near to the vehicle. A method has been devised for generating obstacle avoidance sets depending on the size, shape and steering mechanism of a vehicle to enable their definition to accurately reflect the geometry and dynamic performance of the vehicle. Using a set of inhibitive rules the obstacle avoidance system compiles a mask vector which indicates the potential for a collision if each one of the possible output sets is chosen. The fuzzy fit vector is multiplied with the mask vector to produce a combined fit vector representing the relative importance of the output sets considering the demands of both navigation and obstacle avoidance. This is operated on by a newly developed windowing technique which prevents any conflicts produced by this combination leading to an undesirable output. The final fit vector is then defuzzified to give a demand steering angle for the vehicle. A separate fuzzy controller produces a demand velocity. In tests carried out in simulation and on the research vehicle it has been shown that the control system provides a successful guidance and obstacle avoidance scheme for an automated vehicle.

No description available.

The majority of vehicles over the near term will rely on petroleum, with electric vehicles poised to take over a significant market share of new light duty vehicles in the near future. The proposed Auxiliary Drive Device (ADD) instantly provides hybridization and electrification of an existing fossil fuel vehicle. The purpose is to contribute torque to increase fuel economy and to compensate for the load born by a towing vehicle to reduce the engine size. The ADD is simulated, built and tested for the first time in a towing vehicle configuration. A sensor integrated mechanism is used to measure the force of the trailer load onto the towing vehicle. A test bench platform verifies controls on a push plate in a force sensor feedback control loop configuration. In addition, a scaled prototype provides experimental data to verify mathematical models developed for the ADD. It is found that this new concept provides performance gains and fuel economy savings in a towing configuration.

The majority of vehicles over the near term will rely on petroleum, with electric vehicles poised to take over a significant market share of new light duty vehicles in the near future. The proposed Auxiliary Drive Device (ADD) instantly provides hybridization and electrification of an existing fossil fuel vehicle. The purpose is to contribute torque to increase fuel economy and to compensate for the load born by a towing vehicle to reduce the engine size. The ADD is simulated, built and tested for the first time in a towing vehicle configuration. A sensor integrated mechanism is used to measure the force of the trailer load onto the towing vehicle. A test bench platform verifies controls on a push plate in a force sensor feedback control loop configuration. In addition, a scaled prototype provides experimental data to verify mathematical models developed for the ADD. It is found that this new concept provides performance gains and fuel economy savings in a towing configuration.