On Antilock Braking Systems With Road Preview Through Nonlinear Model Predictive Control

State-of-the-art antilock braking systems (ABS) are reactive, i.e., they activate after detecting that wheels tend to lock in braking. With vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity becoming a reality, it will be possible to gather information on the tire-road friction conditions ahead, and use these data to enhance wheel slip control performance, especially during abrupt friction level variations. This study presents a nonlinear model predictive controller (NMPC) for ABS with preview of the tire-road friction profile. The potential benefits, optimal prediction horizon, and robustness of the preview algorithm are evaluated for different dynamic characteristics of the brake actuation system, through an experimentally validated simulation model. Proof-of-concept experiments with an electric vehicle prototype highlight the real-time capability of the proposed NMPC ABS, and the associated wheel slip control performance improvements in braking maneuvers with high-to-low friction transitions.