Yuping He

University of Ontario Institute of Technology | UOIT · Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering

With the rapid development and the growing deployment of autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) worldwide, there is an increasing need to design reliable, efficient, robust, and scalable motion-planning algorithms. These algorithms are crucial for fulfilling the desired goals of safety, comfort, efficiency, and accessibility. To design optimal motion-pl...

Articulated heavy vehicles exhibit poor lateral stability, which may lead to unstable motion modes, e.g., trailer-sway and jackknifing, causing severe accidents. Varying relevant vehicle parameters improves the static stability but degrades the dynamic stability. The past studies focused either on the static or dynamic stability alone. However, lit...

The past three decades have witnessed extensive studies on motion-planning and tracking-control for autonomous vehicles (AVs). There is, however, a lack of studies on effective design methods for AVs, which consist of the subsystems of the mechanical vehicle, tracking-control, motion-planning, etc. To tackle this problem, this paper proposes a desi...

A directional-performance control design for articulated heavy vehicles with extendable-trailers, Vehicle System Dynamics, ABSTRACT Articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) with extendable-trailers cost-effectively transport freight under varying operating conditions, and they are well-suited for delivering cargos with varying sizes. These AHVs face a cha...

This paper presents a coordinated control strategy for acceleration slip regulation (ASR) and direct yaw moment control (DYC) to improve the lateral stability of a distributed in-wheel motor drive electric articulated heavy vehicle (DIMDEAHV). A non-linear TruckSim model and a linear three degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) yaw-plane model of DIMDEAHV are g...

Autonomous vehicles face challenges in small-target detection and, in particular, in accurately identifying traffic lights under low visibility conditions, e.g., fog, rain, and blurred night-time lighting. To address these issues, this paper proposes an improved algorithm, namely KCS-YOLO (you only look once), to increase the accuracy of detecting...

Path planning is a key technology in mobile robot navigations. However, traditional path-planning algorithms exhibit some limitations in a complex and unknown environment, such as poor efficiency, long planning path, multiple turning points, and delayed obstacle avoidance. To address these issues, this paper proposes a fusion algorithm that combine...

This paper presents a novel supercapacitor-based energy equalization system and discusses a new equalization current control method. The proposed battery equalization system is composed of a bidirectional boost–buck circuit, a switch matrix, and a supercapacitor, which can realize stable electric current transmission between batteries and supercapa...

The past three decades witnessed the significant development of autonomous driving technologies for road/off-road vehicles. Self-driving trucks are of importance for freight transportation. This paper reviews the main motion-planning methods for road vehicles with a focus on methods that are also applicable for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehic...

This paper describes the modelling and validation of a multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicle (MTAHV), i.e., a B-train double. The equations of motion are expressed in the vehicle body fixed coordinate systems. The model derived in the paper will be used for the design of lateral motion controller of the MTAHV operating on highways. To make the mo...

This paper presents a benchmark between two testing methods for evaluating lightweight vehicles' lateral/yaw stability with and without electronic stability control (ESC) systems. To date, the open-loop test method, i.e., Sine with Dwell testing maneuver, recommended by FMVSS-126 is widely applied to objectively evaluate the lateral/yaw stability o...

This article proposes a design of a tracking controller for autonomous articulated heavy vehicles (AAHVs) using a non-linear model predictive control (NLMPC) technique. Despite economic and environmental benefits in freight transportation , articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) exhibit poor directional performance due to their large sizes, multi-unit v...

This paper presents a coordinated control scheme for active safety systems (ASSs) of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs). The coordinated control system consists of the subsystems of active trailer steering (ATS), trailer differential braking (TDB), and anti-roll control (ARC). For the purpose of exploring the coordinated control tech...

Most visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms assume that no or only few moving objects occur in application environments. This assumption makes the algorithms vulnerable to the interference of moving objects in dynamic environments. To address the problem, a new visual SLAM method, which could eliminate dynamic features witho...

Compared with rigid-trucks, centre-axle-trailer (CAT) combinations significantly improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. However, with respect to rigid-trucks, CAT combinations exhibit lower lateral stability at high speeds, and display poorer path-following off-tracking (PFOT) at low speeds. This study intends to address these pr...

div class="section abstract"> This article presents an autonomous steering control scheme for articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs). Despite economic and environmental benefits in freight transportation, lateral stability is always a concern for AHVs in high-speed highway operations due to their multi-unit vehicle structures, and high centers of gravit...

Car–trailer combinations can experience unstable motion modes such as trailer-sway, jackknifing and rollover that can lead to fatal accidents. These unstable motions can be mitigated with the use of an active trailer steering (ATS) system. Prior studies in ATS have leveraged the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) as an ATS controller but for many of...

The paper has been accepted for publication in Machines.

This article presents an autonomous driving control strategy for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs). To design this strategy, a 5 degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane model is generated to represent a MTAHV with the configuration of A-train double, and a nonlinear model predictive control (NLMPC) based controller is designed for direct...

With the spiking of fuel price and stringent requirement on greenhouse gas emissions, we are confronted with a daunting challenge to reduce the aerodynamic drag of road vehicles. When vehicles are traveling in a platoon, the wake of the preceding vehicle can affect the aerodynamic characteristics of the following vehicle. Due to the interaction of...

This paper presents a design approach for tuning autonomous driving controllers of road vehicles. In this regard, a bicycle vehicle model and a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm have been applied to the tracking-control lateral of autonomous vehicles. Additionally, in order to maximize ride comfort and minimize path-following error, a multi-...

This paper presents a design synthesis method for robust controllers of active vehicle suspensions (AVSs). Various control techniques have been applied to the design of AVSs for enhancing ride comfort and handling performance of ground vehicles. However, most of these model-based controller designs show poor robustness when the vehicle models are n...

With the rapid development of highway networks and logistics industry in China, medium-duty trucks have been increasingly used for highway and urban area freight transportation. The aerodynamic drag reduction of medium-duty trucks is of significant importance for improving highway transportation efficiency, enhancing fuel economy, and reducing gree...

Nowadays, profile shift is one of the most powerful techniques to achieve high-performance spur gear transmission system. Although this technique has been widely used in industry, its influence on time-varying meshing stiffness (TVMS) and dynamic characteristics is still unclear. This paper presents a novel analytical model of TVMS for profile-shif...

The dynamic stability of long combination vehicles (LCVs) is an important part of vehicle safety. An LCV, its driver and the road constitute a unique closed-loop dynamic system. Assessing the dynamic stability is difficult due to the complex interactions of driver-tractor-trailers-road. Rearward amplification (RA) is an effective performance measur...

This article presents an autonomous driving control strategy for multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs). To design this strategy, a 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane model is generated to represent a MTAHV with the configuration of A-train double, and a nonlinear model predictive control (NLMPC) algorithm is used to devise the autonom...

With the current situation of exponential growth in freightage and traffic congestion, Multi-Trailer Articulated Heavy Vehicles (MTAHVs) have become an economical and pragmatic solution to transportation. However, problems like high-speed lateral stability and low-speed maneuverability are still challenges with which MTAHVs are still facing due to...

This paper presents a longitudinal speed controller for autonomous multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs). A 5 degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane vehicle model is generated to represent a MTAHV with the configuration of A-train double. A vehicle states prediction approach and a Mamdani fuzzy interface system are utilized to devise the fo...

This paper presents a design synthesis approach for the development of autonomous steering control schemes for articulated vehicles. To design the autonomous steering controller, a 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane model is generated to represent a car-trailer combination, and a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm is used for lateral positi...

To improve the differential performance and lateral stability of distributed drive electric vehicles, this paper proposes an electronic differential control strategy for rear-wheel independent drive electric vehicles based on target torque secondary distribution. Firstly, according to the ideal motion states of the vehicle, the linear quadratic reg...

To improve the path-tracking ability and road adaptability for articulated vehicle with a trailer, this paper proposes an advanced path-tracking strategy, which is designed using the model predictive control method and an optimal curvature preview control technique. Firstly, a linear vehicle model was generated and its fidelity was verified. Then t...

Automotive brakes convert the kinetic energy possessed by the vehicle over a short time into thermal energy through rubbing between the contact surfaces of the pad and disc. The heat dissipation and thermal performance strongly depend on the aerodynamic characters of ventilated discs. In this integrated design synthesis, commercial software GAMBIT...

Increasing service time makes the axlebox bearing of railway vehicle vulnerable to develop a fault in inner or outer races, which can cause some serious adverse effects on a railway vehicle’s safe operation. To tackle this problem, we established a railway vehicle vertical-longitudinal dynamic model with inner/outer races faults of axlebox bearing...

This paper presents an analysis and calculation method for braking performance of Vehicles on straight road. The computer simulation and road tests are carried out with good consistency. Having considered the effects of the wheel slip and the change of wheel radius during braking, the computing results are more consistent with the test. By using th...

Keynote Speech: Active Safety Designs for Heavy Commercial Vehicles Speaker: Prof. Dr. Yuping He, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Canada The Ninth International Conference on Advances in Vehicular Systems, Technologies and Applications

Gear-wheelset system is a crucial substructure in railway vehicles which affects the operation safety and system reliability, especially in the process of traction and braking conditions. Unlike the general gear transmission system, the gear-wheelset system of railway vehicles operates under an environment with several nonsmooth factors; therefore,...

This paper presents a robust active trailer steering (ATS) system for Multi-Trailer Articulated Heavy Vehicles (MTAHVs) using Software/Hardware-In-the-Loop (SHIL) Real-Time (RT) simulations. The Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) technique was applied to ATS controller designs. In the designs, vehicle parameters are assumed to be constant. In reality...

This paper presents a method for quantifying drivers’ driving skills using closed-loop dynamic simulations of articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs). Due to AHVs’ multi-unit configurations, large sizes, and high centers of gravity (CGs), these large vehicles exhibit poor directional performance. AHVs require wide roads and large radii of path curvature...

This paper presents a robust active trailer steering (ATS) system for Multi-Trailer Articulated Heavy Vehicles (MTAHVs) using Software/Hardware-In-the-Loop (SHIL) Real-Time (RT) simulations. The Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) technique was applied to ATS controller designs. In the designs, vehicle parameters are assumed to be constant. In reality...

Multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHV) usage is increasing around the world due to their positive impact on the environment, gas consumption and cost-effectiveness. Despite the advantages of the MTAHV, they exhibit low lateral stability and poor maneuverability. To address this problem, a 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane MTAHV model i...

Under high speed and high lateral acceleration (i.e., high g) cornering maneuvers, the lateral tire-road forces are saturated, and the vehicle will lose its lateral stability. In order to increase the safety of road vehicles, various active safety systems have been proposed and developed. These active safety systems include active front/rear steeri...

This paper presents a comparison of an electro-hydraulic actuator to an electric actuator to be applied in an active trailer steering system of articulated heavy vehicles. We used Mathworks software to develop mathematical models for both the electro-hydraulic and electric actuators. The numerical simulation results based on the model for each of t...

As the forward speed of a car increases, the safety of the vehicle and the driver becomes a more significant concern. Active aerodynamic control can effectively enhance the lateral stability of high speed vehicles over tight cornering maneuvers. A split rear wing has been proposed. By means of manipulating the attack angles for the right and/or lef...