A Model of Driver Steering Control Behavior for Use in Assessing Vehicle Handling Qualities

A control theoretic model of driver steering control behavior is presented. The resulting model is shown capable of producing driver/vehicle steering responses which compare favorably with those obtained from driver simulation. The model is simple enough to be used by engineers who may not be manual control specialists. The model contains both preview and compensatory steering dynamics. An analytical technique for vehicle handling qualities assessment is briefly discussed. Driver/vehicle responses from two driving tasks evaluated in a driver simulator are used to evaluate the overall validity of the driver/vehicle model. Finally, the model is exercised in predictive fashion in the computer simulation of a lane keeping task on a curving roadway where the simulated vehicle possessed one of three different steering systems: a conventional two-wheel steering system and a pair of four-wheel steering systems.