Autonomous Circular Drift Control for 4WD-4WS Vehicles Without Precomputed Drifting Equilibrium

Abstract: Under extreme conditions, autonomous drifting enables vehicles to follow predefined paths at large slip angles, significantly enhancing the control system's capability to handle hazardous scenarios. Four-wheel-drive and four-wheel-steering (4WD-4WS) vehicles, which have been extensively studied, offer superior path-following precision and enhanced maneuverability under challenging driving conditions. In this paper, a hierarchical drifting controller is proposed for 4WD-4WS vehicles to track both path and velocity without relying on precomputed drifting equilibrium. The controller is structured into two layers: a trajectory tracking layer and an actuator regulation layer. The first layer generates the desired tire forces in the vehicle body frame, while the second layer converts these desired tire forces into steering angle commands and torque commands for the front and rear motors. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed controller are validated through simulation.