Yao Fu

This paper presents a hierarchical lane-changing trajectory planner based on the least action principle for autonomous driving. Our approach aims to achieve reliable real-time avoidance of static and moving obstacles in multi-vehicle interaction scenarios on structured urban roads. Unlike previous studies that rely on subjective weight allocation and single weighting methods, we propose a novel trajectory planning strategy that decomposes the process into two stages: candidate trajectory generation and optimal trajectory decision-making. The candidate trajectory generation employs a path-velocity decomposition method, using B-spline curves to generate a multi-objective optimal lane-changing candidate path. Collision checking eliminates paths at risk of collision with static obstacles. Dynamic programming (DP) and quadratic programming (QP) are then used to plan the velocity of safe paths, generating candidate lane-changing trajectories based on curvature checking. The optimal trajectory decision-making process follows the decision mechanism of excellent drivers. We introduce a comprehensive evaluation function, the average action, which considers safety, comfort, and efficiency based on the least action principle. Feasible trajectories are ranked based on their average action, and the trajectory with the minimum average action and no collision risk with moving obstacles is selected as the tracking target. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through two common lane-changing scenarios. The results demonstrate that our approach enables smooth, efficient, and safe lane-changing while effectively tracking the planned velocity and path. This method offers a solution to local trajectory planning problems in complex environments and holds promising prospects in the field of autonomous driving.

Establishing an accurate and computationally efficient model for driving risk assessment, considering the influence of vehicle motion state and kinematic characteristics on path planning, is crucial for generating safe, comfortable, and easily trackable obstacle avoidance paths. To address this topic, this paper proposes a novel dual-layered dynamic path-planning method for obstacle avoidance based on the driving safety field (DSF). The contributions of the proposed approach lie in its ability to address the challenges of accurately modeling driving risk, efficient path smoothing and adaptability to vehicle kinematic characteristics, and providing collision-free, curvature-continuous, and adaptable obstacle avoidance paths. In the upper layer, a comprehensive driving safety field is constructed, composed of a potential field generated by static obstacles, a kinetic field generated by dynamic obstacles, a potential field generated by lane boundaries, and a driving field generated by the target position. By analyzing the virtual field forces exerted on the ego vehicle within the comprehensive driving safety field, the resultant force direction is utilized as guidance for the vehicle’s forward motion. This generates an initial obstacle avoidance path that satisfies the vehicle’s kinematic and dynamic constraints. In the lower layer, the problem of path smoothing is transformed into a standard quadratic programming (QP) form. By optimizing discrete waypoints and fitting polynomial curves, a curvature-continuous and smooth path is obtained. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed path-planning algorithm outperforms the method based on the improved artificial potential field (APF). It not only generates collision-free and curvature-continuous paths but also significantly reduces parameters such as path curvature (reduced by 62.29% to 87.32%), curvature variation rate, and heading angle (reduced by 34.11% to 72.06%). Furthermore, our algorithm dynamically adjusts the starting position of the obstacle avoidance maneuver based on the vehicle’s motion state. As the relative velocity between the ego vehicle and the obstacle vehicle increases, the starting position of the obstacle avoidance path is adjusted accordingly, enabling the proactive avoidance of stationary or moving single and multiple obstacles. The proposed method satisfies the requirements of obstacle avoidance safety, comfort, and stability for intelligent vehicles in complex environments.

This paper will study a trajectory tracking control algorithm for electric vehicles based on a terminal sliding mode controller. First, a 3 degrees of freedom nonlinear vehicle model and a controller-oriented 2 degrees of freedom vehicle model are established. The preview time is adaptively adjusted based on the preview model. Then, the vehicle trajectory tracking controller, which uses the terminal sliding mode algorithm, is designed. The radial basis function (RBF) neural network algorithm is used to approximate the system variable parameters in the control model online. At the same time, fuzzy logic is used to control the gain parameters of the controller to reduce the chattering of the control system. Finally, the designed controller is verified by simulation. The maximum deviation of path tracking under different speeds is 0.6 m, and the target path can also be well followed under different road friction coefficients. The simulation results show that the controller designed in this paper can effectively carry out the vehicle trajectory tracking and lateral control and reduce the chattering to a certain extent.

Theoretical calculation and numerical simulation are used to investigate the lubricating oil demand of spur gears. In accordance with the function of lubricating oil during the meshing process, oil demand is regarded as the superposition of oil for lubrication and cooling. Oil for lubrication is calculated in accordance with meshing and elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) theories. Oil for cooling is obtained from friction heat. The influence of different meshing positions on lubricating oil demand is analysed, and the effects of modulus, tooth number, transmission ratio, input speed and input torque on lubricating oil demand is investigated using a control variate method. Simulation results indicated that oil for lubrication and oil for cooling have two maxima each during a meshing circle. The influences of different gear parameters and working conditions on lubricating oil demand are compared. The results showed that the oil volume for lubrication increases and oil volume for cooling decreases as the modulus, tooth number and transmission ratio of the gear increase, the oil volume for lubrication and oil volume for cooling increases as the input speed and input torque increase.

Currently, the researches on the regenerative braking system (RBS) of the range-extended electric vehicle (R-EEV) are inadequate, especially on the comparison and analysis of the multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem. Actually, the results of the MOO problem should be mutually independent and balanced. With the aim of guaranteeing comprehensive regenerative braking performance (CRBP), a revised regenerative braking control strategy (RRBCS) is introduced, and a method of the MOO algorithm for RRBCS is proposed to balance the braking performance (BP), regenerative braking loss efficiency (RBLE), and battery capacity loss rate (BCLR). Firstly, the models of the main components related to the RBS of the R-EEV for the calculation of optimization objectives are built in MATLAB/Simulink and AVL/Cruise. The BP, RBLE, and BCLR are selected as the optimization objectives. The non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is applied in RRBCS to solve the MOO problem, and a group of the non-inferior Pareto solution sets are obtained. The simulation results show a clear conflict that three optimization objectives cannot be optimal at the same time. Then, we evaluate the performance of the proposed method by taking the individual with the optimal CRBP as the final optimal solution. The comparation among BP, RBLE, BCLR, and CRBP before and after optimization are analyzed and discussed. The results illustrate that characteristic parameters of RRBCS is crucial to optimization objectives. After parameters optimization, regenerative braking torque works early to increase braking energy recovery on low tire-road adhesion condition, and to reduce the battery capacity loss rate at the expense of small braking energy recovery on the medium tire-road adhesion condition. In addition, the results of the sensitivity analysis show that after parameter optimization, RRBCS is proved to perform better road adaptability regarding the distribution of solutions. These results thoroughly validate the proposed approach for multi-objective optimization of RRBCS and have a strong directive to optimize the control strategy parameters of RBS.

Power system parameter matching is one of the key technologies in the development of hybrid electric vehicles. The power source is the key component of the power system which composed of engine, motor, and battery. Reasonable power source parameters are conducive to improve the power, fuel economy, and emission performance of vehicles. In this paper, regarding the problem that the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) parameter matching needs to weigh different design objectives, a multi-objective optimization and matching method based on a genetic algorithm is proposed. The vehicle dynamic model is established based on MATLAB/Simulink (Mathworks in Natick, Massachusetts, USA), and the feasibility of the model is verified by simulation. The main performance parameters of the power source are matched by theoretical analysis, and the PHEV integrated optimization simulation platform is established based on Isight(Dassault Systemes in Paris, France) and MALTAB/Simulink. Power source components are optimized considering fuel economy and lightweight objectives under the performance constraints. Firstly, the optimal matching results under different weights are obtained by transforming different objectives into single objective, and the multi-island genetic algorithm is used to obtain the optimal matching results in which the equivalent fuel consumption of 100km is reduced by 1%. Then the Pareto solution is obtained using the NSGA-II algorithm. The optimal matching results can be found after determining the weights of different design objectives, which proves the effectiveness and superiority of the multi-objective optimization matching method. The optimization results show that compared with the original vehicle, the fuel economy effect is increased by 2.26% and the lightweight effect is increased by 8.26%.

Since the electric motor of pure electric vehicle replaced the engine, the "masking effect" disappears, and the problem of vibration and noise of the transmission becomes prominent. This is generated during the gear meshing and is transmitted to the housing through the shaft and bearing. Thereby, radiation noise of the housing are generated. The prediction and analysis of the vibration and noise problems of transmission can be avoided during the design process, which will shorten the development cycle and reduce the development costs. In this paper, the finite element model and boundary element model of the three-axis four-speed automated mechanical transmission (AMT) for pure electric bus were established by Finite Element Method (FEM) and Boundary Element Method (BEM) for modal and acoustic analysis. The excitation of the gear system is used as the input, and the direct boundary element method is used to predict the noise of the AMT. The correctness of the simulation method is verified by the comparing simulation with bench test results. First published in 1988, International Journal of Engineering (IJE) is multidisciplinary science journal published in three quarterly transactions.

Aiming at the problems of low efficiency and poor quality of gear meshing in the current mainstream finite element software, through the establishment of universal gear three-dimensional model, and explore the rules of unit and node arrangement. In this paper, a finite element model generation method of universal gear based on parameterization is proposed. Visual Basic program is used to realize the finite element meshing, give the material properties, and set the boundary / load conditions and other pre-processing work. The dynamic meshing analysis of the gears is carried out with the method proposed in this pape, and compared with the calculated values to verify the correctness of the method. The method greatly shortens the workload of gear finite element pre-processing, improves the quality of gear mesh, and provides a new idea for the FEM pre-processing.