CEmACS Project
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Information Society Technologies Sixth Framework Programme

The CEmACS project is a partnership between DaimlerChrysler Research, the Hamilton Institute at NUI Maynooth, Lund University, Glasgow University and SINTEF. The objective of CEmACS is to contribute to a systematic, modular, model-based approach for designing complex automotive control systems. The Specific Target Research Project is aimed at combining research into the theory of multivariable control and nonlinear observers with a selection of novel prototype automotive control applications. Control and observer designs will be evaluated using two real-life benchmark integrated chassis control design applications: (i) vehicle dynamics control for active safety (collision avoidance and roll-over protection), and (ii) multivariable control design for ride and handling using multiple actuators (Generic Prototyping). For the evaluation prototype experimental vehicles will be provided by one of the industrial project partners. Specific objectives include the following:
  1. Develop and evaluate vehicle dynamics control systems for active safety, in particular for roll-over avoidance, and collision avoidance based on active steering/braking.
  2. Develop and evaluate an integrated chassis controller for generic prototype vehicles to be used in vehicle dynamics analysis and design.
  3. Contribute to a systematic modular design approach for complex embedded automotive control systems taking into account the following specific issues: (i) High performance decentralised multivariable control design under hard real-time conditions and in the presence of time delays, and state and actuator constraints; (ii) Nonlinear and adaptive controllers to stabilise vehicles at the physical limits in the presence of uncertainties in road friction and vehicle mass and load distribution; (iii) Hybrid control systems for improved fault tolerance, graceful degradation and robustness with respect to a highly time-varying environment.
  4. Development of robust state observation techniques for low-cost sensor configurations focused on two complementary approaches: nonlinear observers with global convergence properties, advanced Kalman-filtering and covariance intersection techniques.
  5. Implementation, evaluation and verification of the controllers in two experimental test vehicles which will be used in vehicle dynamics research and design.

DaimlerChrysler AG Hamilton Institute University of Glasgow Lund University SINTEF

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