2009 International Conference on Measuring Technology and Mechatronics Automation
Vehicle Stability Control Strategy Based on Active Torque Distribution and
Differential Braking
Siqi Zhang, Tianxia Zhang, Shuwen Zhou
College of Mechanical Engineering and Automation
Northeastern University
Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
zhangsiqicn@126.com, txzhang@mail.neu.edu.cn, shwzhou@mail.neu.edu.cn
Abstract—The paper presents a vehicle yaw stability control
strategy devoted to prevent vehicles from spinning and drifting
out. The yaw stability control system is integrated with active
torque distribution and differential braking system. Active
torque distribution systems utilize active differentials to
independently control the drive torque distributed to each
drive wheel and thus provide active control of both traction
and yaw moment. However, if the coefficient of road friction
were small or if the vehicle speed were too high, active torque
distribution system may not afford adequate yaw moment to
response the driver needs. With this improved integrated
control system, the vehicle can afford nice manoeuvrability
and stability.
Keywords- vehicle stability control; active torque distribution;
differential braking; co-simulation
I. INTRODUCTION
Vehicle stability control system that prevent vehicles
from spinning, drifting out and rolling over have been
developed and recently commercialized by several
automotive manufacturers [1]-[2]. Stability control systems
that prevent vehicles from skidding and spinning out are
often referred to as yaw stability control systems or
electronic stability control systems.
A B
Figure 1. Active torque distribution and differential braking
978-0-7695-3583-8/09 $25.00 © 2009 IEEE 922
DOI 10.1109/ICMTMA.2009.380
Active torque distribution systems (ATD) utilize active
differentials to independently control the drive torque
distributed to each drive wheel and thus provide active
control of both traction and yaw moment.
If the differential braking based yaw stability control
system is used during vehicle acceleration, however, it
reduces the acceleration of the vehicle and therefore may not
provide the longitudinal response the driver needs [2]-[3]. A
solution to this problem that is being actively investigated
and developed in the automotive industry is the use of
independent drive torque control technology to enhance both
traction and handling.
If the coefficient of road friction were small or if the
vehicle speed were too high, active torque distribution
system may not afford adequate yaw moment to response the
driver needs. By now it may be the best choice to active
differential braking system (ADB) to follow the nominal
motion required by the driver, as shown in Fig. 1.
This paper is intended to discuss the stability control of
overtaking with acceleration using active torque distribution
and differential braking.
II. VEHICLE DYNAMICS ANALYSIS
A vehicle may be regarded as a control system upon
which various inputs are imposed. During a turning
maneuver, the steer angle induced by the driver can be
considered as an input to the system, and the motion
variables of the vehicle, such as yaw rate, lateral
acceleration, and curvature, may be regarded as outputs.
Fig. 1 schematically shows the function of a yaw control
system. The vehicle would follow in response to a steering
input from the driver if the road were dry and had a high tire-
road friction coefficient. In this case the high friction
coefficient is able to provide the lateral force required by the
vehicle to negotiate the curved road. If the coefficient of
friction were small or if the vehicle speed were too high, then
the vehicle would be unable to follow the nominal motion
required by the driver, and understeer or oversteer will occur.
The function of the yaw control system is to restore the yaw
rate of the vehicle as much as possible to the nominal motion
expected by the driver [4]-[5].
The desired yaw rate and desired side-slip angle for the
vehicle can be obtained from steering angle, vehicle speed
and vehicle parameters as follows [2]
 Vx an effort to improve vehicle stability or handling near and at
ψ des = δ (1) the limit of adhesion. These systems usually seek to bring the
mVx2 (l r C ar − l f C af ) vehicle as closely as possible to a desired path and/or to
(l f + l r ) + minimize the lateral movement of the tires relative to the
2C af C ar (l f + l r ) road surface. Typically, the control is configured to bring the
vehicle yaw rate into correspondence with a desired yaw rate
l f mVx2 value.
lr −
2C ar (l f + l r ) We employ the linear bicycle model to generate the
β des = δ (2) reference vehicle behavior, such as desired yaw rate and slip
mVx2 (l r C ar − l f C af ) angle. The difference of yaw rate between the reference
(l f + l r ) + model and the multi-body model is considered as control
2C af C ar (l f + l r ) signal to the vehicle multi-body model.
where Caf and C ar are the cornering stiffness for each front Fig. 3 is the chassis yaw rate with active torque
distribution systems. The yaw rate under vehicle dynamics
and rear tire respectively, the lengths l f and l r refer to the control is very close to the desired yaw rate.
longitudinal distance from the c.g. to the front wheels, In order to verify the vehicle dynamics control strategy,
longitudinal distance from the c.g. to the rear wheels, m is we performed a dynamic analysis using ADAMS/CAR and
Simulink. The co-simulation model is shown in Fig. 4.
total mass of vehicle, Vx is longitudinal velocity of the
vehicle and δ is steering wheel angle. 0.7
The objective of vehicle yaw stability control is to keep
the yaw rate as close to desired yaw rate as possible by 0.6
applying active torque distribution system and active
differential braking system as needed. 0.5
Chassis yaw rate (rad/s)

III. STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM 0.4

The control architecture for the yaw stability control
0.3
system is hierarchical. The controller has the objective of
ensuring yaw stability control and assumes that it can Desired yaw rate at 90km/h
0.2
command any desired value of yaw torque. It uses Measured yaw rate at 90km/h
measurements from wheel speed sensors, a yaw rate sensor,
a lateral accelerometer and a steering angle sensor. Using 0.1
these measurements and a control law, it computes the
desired value of yaw torque. The controller ensures that the 0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5
desired value of yaw torque is indeed obtained from the Time (s)
active torque distribution system and active differential
Figure 2. Desired yaw rate and measured yaw rate without control
braking system.
If the friction coefficient is very small, it might not be
possible to entirely achieve the nominal yaw rate that would 0.7
be achieved by the driver on a high friction coefficient road
surface. In this case, the yaw control system would start the 0.6
active differential braking system, making the vehicle's yaw
rate closer to the expected nominal yaw rate. 0.5
Chassis yaw rate (rad/s)

During the yaw stability control regulating, the controller

will stop active torque distribution action and use active 0.4
differential braking system only if a braking signal is
measured. 0.3
IV. ACTIVE TORQUE DISTRIBUTION Desired yaw rate at 90km/h
0.2
Fig. 2 is the desired yaw rate (neutral steer) and the Measured yaw rate at 90km/h
measured yaw rate without vehicle stability control system. 0.1
The desired yaw rate was obtained from equation (1).
Equation (1) shows that the desired yaw rate is only 0.0
determined by the forward speed and the front wheel steering 0 1 2 3 4 5
angle. Therefore, if the forward speed and the front wheel Time (s)
steering angle are measured, the desired yaw rate is obtained. Figure 3. Desired yaw rate and measured yaw rate with ATD
Vehicle active torque distribution system can actively
regulate torque distribution on left and right drive wheels in

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 Memory 4

Memory 3

Memory 2

Memory 1 0

left _front _wheel _velocity

trigger 1
left _front _brake
left _rear _wheel _velocity 0

Body _longitudinal _velocity trigger 2

left _rear _brake -1e-3 1/u(1)

Gain 2 Fcn
0
right _front _wheel _velocity

right _front _brake

right _rear _wheel _velocity trigger 3

trigger 4
body _acce _y
right _rear _brake
u0 y0

body _yaw_rate

u1 y1

ADB
-1e-3 desired _body _yaw_rate
drive _torque _left
yaw rate u2 y2
Gain 1
1/2.56
In 1 Out1
Product u3 y3
Gain
steering _rack_travel
drive _torque _right S-Function Builder
desired _body _yaw_rate
u0
Body _longitudinal _velocity
u1 y0
adams _sub body _acce _y
u2 drive _torque _left
body _yaw_rate ATD
u3
body _side_slip_angle
u4 y1
drive _torque
u5 drive _torque _right

S-Function Builder 1

Memory 5

Memory 6

Figure 4. Co-simulation of vehicle dynamics control using ADAMS and Simulink

system typically consists of four wheel speeds, a yaw rate

V. ACTIVE DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING
Active differential braking systems typically utilize
solenoid based hydraulic modulators to change the brake
pressures at the four wheels. Creating differential braking by
increasing the brake pressure at the left wheels compared to
the right wheels, a counter-clockwise yaw moment is
generated. Likewise, increasing the brake pressure at the
right wheels compared to the left wheels creates a clockwise
yaw moment. The sensor set used by a differential braking
sensor, a steering angle sensor, a lateral accelerometer and
brake pressure sensors.
If the stability control software in the control module
detects a difference in the normal rotational speeds between
the left and right wheels when turning, it immediately applies
counter braking at individual wheels as needed until steering
control and vehicle stability are regained.
Fig. 5 is the chassis yaw rate with differential braking
control system. The yaw rate under differential braking

924
control is very close to the desired yaw rate (neutral steer).
However, as shown in Fig. 5, the desired yaw rate is not
steady after step steer and decreases after 2.2 second. The
reason is that the vehicle speed reduces due to the braking.
The differential braking system reduces the acceleration of
the vehicle and therefore may not provide the longitudinal
response the driver needs.
0.7
0.6
0.5
Chassis yaw rate (rad/s)
Fig. 6 is the desired yaw rate and measured yaw rate with
active torque distribution and active differential braking
control. Because of small friction coefficient, a single active
torque distribution control can not afford adequate yaw
moment to adjust the vehicle into the desired path, as show
in Fig. 3. With both active torque distribution and active
differential braking control, the vehicle yaw rate is much
closed to the desired yaw rate, only with a little decrease on
the yaw rate.
VII. CONCLUSIONS
A vehicle yaw stability control strategy was developed to
prevent vehicles from spinning and drifting out. The yaw

stability control system is integrated with active torque

0.4
distribution and differential braking system. The proposed
active torque distribution systems can provide enough yaw
0.3
moment without losing vehicle acceleration. However, if the
Desired yaw rate coefficient of road friction were small or if the vehicle speed
0.2 Measured yaw rate were too high, active torque distribution system may not
afford sufficient yaw moment to response the driver needs.
0.1
With this improved integrated control system, the vehicle
can afford nice manoeuvrability and stability.
0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s) ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Figure 5. Desired yaw rate and measured yaw rate with ADB This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation
of Liaoning Province of China (project #20061014).

VI. ATD AND ADB CONTROL SYSTEM

REFERENCES
In most cases, the active torque distribution system on
dry road can help the vehicle run along the desired path. [1] W. M. Allan, Bonnick, Automotive Computer Controlled Systems,
Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, Britain, 2001.
However, if the friction coefficient is very small, it might not
[2] R. Rajamani, Vehicle Dynamics and Control, Springer, New York,
be possible to entirely achieve the nominal yaw rate that United States, 2006.
would be achieved by the driver on a high friction coefficient [3] M. Kretschmer, J. Neubeck, “Combining Vehicle Dynamics Control
road surface. In this case, the yaw control system would start and Decision Making Procedures towards Safe Overtaking
the active differential braking system, making the vehicle's Maneuvers”, SAE2005-01-0412, 2005.
yaw rate closer to the expected nominal yaw rate. [4] D. Davide, K. Philippe, “Active Roll Control to Increase Handling
and Comfort”, SAE2003-01-0962, 2003.
0.7 [5] C. Taeyoung, Y. Kyongsu, “Closed-Loop Evaluation of Vehicle
Stability Control (VSC) Systems using a Combined Vehicle and
0.6 Human Driving Mode1”, SAE2004-01-0763, 2004.

0.5
Chassis yaw rate (rad/s)

0.4

0.3

0.2 Desired yaw rate at 90km/h

Measured yaw rate at 90km/h
0.1

0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
Figure 6. Vehicle yaw rate with ATD and ADB on

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