Driver Assist for Backing-Up a Vehicle with a Long-Wheelbase Dual-Axle Trailer

Backing-up of articulated vehicles poses a difficult challenge even for experienced drivers. While long wheelbase dual-axle trailers provide a benefit of increased capacity over their single-axle counterparts, backing-up of such systems is especially difficult. We propose a control strategy for such systems, introducing concepts of the hitch control space and noslip curve derived from no-slip kinematics, allowing backing-up maneuvers to be intuitive to drivers without experience with trailers. Using hitch angle feedback, we show these concepts can be used to stabilize the trailer in back-up motion in the presence of arbitrary driver inputs. The controller is tested in simulation and on a scale model testbed, demonstrating that robust and stable backing-up of such systems can be achieved whilst allowing the driver to maintain full control of the vehicle.