“Implementation of electric driven wheel mounted vehicle steering

system using microcontrollers”

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Abstract: Advanced internal combustion engine driven vehicles to utilize power steering, automatic
transmission, and differentials which are being continuously improved to meet the safety, pollution
norms of the day and improved passenger comfort. But by their nature, the design adds to the complexity
of the mechanical design and inefficiency. The endless quest for higher fuel efficiency continues to
conserve the scarce petroleum resources.
In this project, an electronic steering system is proposed and implemented which converts the
differential speed of the in-wheel electric motors into direction control of the vehicle path along the road.
Electronic steering eliminates the transmission and its linkages between the engine and the wheels,
where the torque is needed for the motion of the vehicle. This decoupling and generation of power at the
point of use results in safe, pollution free, silent and efficient vehicle. The driver is not burdened on the
steering of the vehicle. The mechanical, electrical and hydraulic steering systems stand eliminated and
the proposed steering system is more suited for today's autonomous vehicles.
In the proposed system Pulse Width Modulator controls H-Bridge to change the supply voltage
applied to In-Wheel motor
Key Words: steering, differential speed, in-wheel,
H-Bridge
1. Introduction:
For a car driven by wheel mounted electric motor the speed and torque of each motor can be
controlled independently. Closed loop control method has been proposed to assist the improvement
of the steering system. Two dimensional characteristics of the steering system indicate the relation
between the torque of individual motor and angle of the steering wheel. This data is to design the
speed of the vehicle at a different condition and turning of the vehicle for different speed of the each
motor. Compared with the conventional (Ackerman) steering system vehicle, the differential speed
steering shows its advantage over the simple construction. Steering process normally depends on the
velocity/speed of four wheels; the mechanical differential can be removed and replaced by an
electronic control system that depends on the steering wheel angle .With the consideration of
environmental and petroleum fuel issues major driving forces are in the development of electrical
energy vehicles. Electricity in one of the alternative fuel for the driving force or the vehicle system.
Parallely consider the power steering used in hydraulic or an electric motor driven steering systems
uses the electric power which reduces the battery efficiency and as well as backup time for the EV’s.

2. Traditional Steering System

Ackerman-Jeantand [4] mode of the steering system is as shown in the Fig-1 width and length of
the simulated vehicle running at speed N m/h is W and L from the centre of the body are measured. If
δ is steering angle of the front wheels, according to the Ackerman-Jeantand traditional mode of
L
steering, turning radius R can be given by R =
tan δ

Fig-1 Ackermann-Jeantand model

3. Differential speed steering system

In this Paper, a new technology of steering system for in-wheel motor driven electric vehicles
has been introduced. Differential speed Steering system between the right and left wheels is utilized
as a part of the development control of vehicles. With an advent from the In-Wheel motor, the same
method is suitable to take a similar control for the four-wheel independent driving vehicle. The
direction of the four-wheel independent driving electric vehicle is changed by increasing or
decreasing the speed of wheels at different velocities. This sort of steering framework makes the
vehicle hearty and basic which gives another approach to understanding the way control of electric
vehicle as appeared in Fig-2

Fig-2 Ackerman & differential steering

In a new type of electric vehicle which has in wheel electric motor configuration the four wheel
system by the use of the differential speed of each wheel. This type of electric vehicle employs four
wheels and actually used the motor drivers traction force controlled independently. This has an
advantage which reduces mechanical linkages between each motor which leads to reducing the
overall weight of the machine. Therefore, the Electronic differential speed power steering system[9]
[11] can be designed with more compactness, and operated with high efficiency and less maintenance
requirement.
In order to realize the differential speed steering a physical model for four-wheel independent
electric driven vehicle is constructed. In this model, the four wheels are driven by an individual motor
and keeping the same movement of the vehicle. The vehicle is moving on a ground and dependably in
contact with the surface. The physical dimensions of the constructed vehicle are shown in table 2.

Test plan
 Modeling of the Body
 Measurements of Data
 Braking and Acceleration
 Steering system (Electronic Differential)
 Calculating the speeds of left and right wheels by sensing the steering angle
 Controlling the driving torque and speed of the two pairs in-wheel traction motors


Table.2 Physical Parameters of The Simulated Vehicle

Body Length L 93mm

Body Width W 170mm
Body Hight H 72mm
Radius of wheel 36mm
Weight of body 2.06kg

4. Kinematic model of vehicle Steering

Say v R and v L are linear velocities with respect to ICC of the vehicle. The turning radius of the
vehicle can be determined from the triangles as shown in Fig-3. The radius of the vehicle path turn can
2 πr
be calculated from similar triangles as shown. The speed of wheel v= where T is the time it
T
would take to complete one full turn around ICC. The angular velocity ω=2 π /T and typically has the
unit radians per second.

Fig-3 Kinematic model of vehicle Steering

Combining the equations for v and ω we get

2 π 2 πr v
¿ = = and consequently ω r =v .
T rT r
 Note that plugging in R and v O for both left and right wheel result in the same ω, hence, the
following equations can hold

( W2 )=v R … … ... … …..(1)

ω R+

ω ( R− )=v L … … … … … ...(2)
W
2
Where R is the distance between ICC and the midpoint of the wheel axis, and l is the length of the
wheel axis Solving equations (1) and (2) for ω and R yields

Ro= (
W v R+ v R
2 v R−v L )
… … … …(3)

( v R−v L )
ω= … … … … … ..(4 )
W
v R+ v L
v o= … … … … … … ..(5)
2
Where ω , Ro and v o are the yaw rate, turning radius and linear speed in the longitudinal direction
of the vehicle.
From the above equations (3) (4) and (5) the actual turn radius will be

W ωRr (1+ λR)+ω L r (1+ λL)

R o= … (6)
2 ωRr ( 1+ λR )−ω L r (1+ λL)
After considering longitudinal slip  of wheels, then the actual yaw rate is given by

ωRr ( 1+ λR )−ω Lr (1+ λL)

o=
W

5. Microcontroller Implementation
The small, low power loss high efficiency and high response microcontroller to drive the motors is
selected arduino based ATMEG328P find suitable for this as embedded chip.
Here the project involves an Electronic steering system[11] is to remove the mechanical linkages
to the steering wheel and convert to pure electronically controlled steering. Hub drive offers some
useful properties and advantages of EVs over conventional vehicles like regenerative braking, being
silent and pollution free. Increased Efficiency of the vehicle.
 STEERING AT PWM
SENSOR M
E
G
ACCELARATION DECELARATION
A DRIVER L293D
3
2
8
SPEED SENSOR P
IN WHEEL MOTOR

Fig-4 Block diagram of project

The hardware modules used in this project are Arduino UNO board microcontroller, DC motor
drivers. Sensor unit is the main part which senses the voltage change in the potentiometer. The
ATmega328P controller takes an input of sensing signal to operate DC motor driver to increase or
decrease the speed of DC Motor. PWM control method of speed control of DC motor. The output of the
sensor gives the information related to the speed of each motor. Percentage of PWM values are
displayed on LCD unit.
L293D is a four-way high current half-driven-H driver integrated circuit. It is designed to provide
bidirectional current up to 600mA and operating voltages from 4.5 V to 36 V. It is equipped with
separate Input-Logic Supply Internal ESD Protection and also thermal Shutdown. This device operated
to drive loads like a solenoids, relays, dc motors, stepping motor etc.
It has four driver circuits, each are enabled, when an associated enable is high. Then
corresponding outputs are active. When an enable input is low, the drivers are disabled and
corresponding outputs are inactive. The pair of drivers are suitable for reverse direction with proper
input data.

Algorithm for steering system

Step1 look for steering angle and

rotation direction
Step2 estimate the differential speed
Step3 estimate the time response for
differential speed
Step4 apply an electrical signal to the
motor
Repeat the above steps

6. Results and discussions

 Analyzing of kinematics relation at the time of a differential speed steering system. Turning radius
of the vehicle at different speed on either side is nonlinear. Here the group of values of a simulated
kinematic model was tabulated in table 3.
Fig-6 shows that the analysis carried out in matlab for turning radius of the vehicle at each step of
50 of steering angle.
Table 3 simulated test results of kinematic vehicle
Steering Radius of Speed Speed ΔN =
angle rotation NR NL NR - NL
No
00 19 19 0
RADIUS
50 6.27M 18.5 19.5 1
100 1.44M 18 20 2
150 0.89M 17 22 5
200 0.66M 16 24 8
250 0.45M 15 25 10
300 0.35M 12.5 27 14.5
350 0.24M 10 28 18
400 0.19M 9 29 20
450 0.12M 8.5 30 21.5
500 -- 8 31 23
550 -- 6 33 27

25

20
Radius of vehicle path

15

10

0
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
Steering angle

Fig-5 analysis of turning radius of vehicle corresponds to steering angle in simulink.

When the vehicle takes turn path, the longitudinal slip of the right and left wheels will be different. If the
speed of the inner wheel is lesser than the running speed due to deceleration, or If the speed of the outer
wheel is higher than the running speed due to acceleration. The longitudinal slip λ will be more than 0 in
the inner wheel, and less than 0 in the outer wheel.
Assume that the two wheels on either side of the vehicle run at the same speed which is same as a
vehicle. To achieve differential steering, the speed of each side of wheel changed. The turning
direction of the vehicle can be determined by the side at which it has a higher speed. Let us define ΔN
= NR -NL, the path of the vehicle will be left when ΔN > 0, if the path of the vehicle is right when ΔN <
0. To get required difference of speed, the idea of direction control will be implemented by following
methods.

1) Speed of outer wheel is increased,

2) Decreasing the inner wheel speed, and
3) Increasing speed of outer and decreasing the speed of inner wheels at the same time.

Fig-6 Turning radius of the vehicle corresponds to NR-NL.

Generally, for the safe view of the vehicle, the speed is necessary to be reduced or keeping in
steady during the steering period. So the later two methods by reducing the speed of inner wheel will
be taken into account in almost situations. Four turning path of the vehicle under different conditions
are shown in Fig-7. It can be found the radius is increased corresponds to the decrease in the ΔN.

Fig-7 Turning radius of vehicle corresponding to ΔN.

7. Conclusion
Embedded controller system has been developed using ATMEGA328P and Sensors. For the
demonstration purpose, a small physical model of four In-wheel independent driven electric vehicle
has been constructed. In this model, the four wheels are driving by an independent In-wheel motor is
controlled by small 10Kohm 10turn potentiometer as a steering wheel.
The sensor is used for controlling of four-wheel independent driven electric vehicle; hence, this
method will be suitable for saving petroleum resources.
By utilizing the benefits of the independent In-wheel motor driving electric vehicle it can replace
the low efficiency (20%) diesel/petrol engine into In-Wheel electric driven wheel having an efficiency
of about 80-85%
With above discussions, all mechanical linkages with respect to the steering system are replaced
by a lightweight electronic system.
In-wheel Electric motors are used instead of diesel or petrol engine, compared with the weight of
diesel/petrol engine and four tires, the weight of the four In-wheel Electric motors are lightweight.
The fuel tank is replaced by a battery which is comparatively same weight when the tank is full.
 With all the above discussions and analysis we can conclude that the in-wheel motor driven
electric vehicle having less cost and more efficiency
8. Reference:
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9/11/2011 IEEE

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