Predictive Anti-Jerk and Traction Control for V2X Connected Electric Vehicles With Central Motor and Open Differential

V2X connectivity and powertrain electrification are emerging trends in the automotive sector, which enable the implementation of new control solutions. Most of the production electric vehicles have centralized powertrain architectures consisting of a single central on-board motor, a single-speed transmission, an open differential, half-shafts, and constant velocity joints. The torsional drivetrain dynamics and wheel dynamics are influenced by the open differential, especially in split-mu scenarios, i.e., with different tire-road friction coefficients on the two wheels of the same axle, and are attenuated by the so-called anti-jerk controllers. Although a rather extensive literature discusses traction control formulations for individual wheel slip control, there is a knowledge gap on: a) model based traction controllers for centralized powertrains; and b) traction controllers using the preview of the expected tire-road friction condition ahead, e.g., obtained through V2X, for enhancing the wheel slip tracking performance. This study presents non-linear model predictive control formulations for traction control and anti-jerk control in electric powertrains with central motor and open differential, and benefitting from the preview of the tire-road friction level. The simulation results in straight line and cornering conditions, obtained with an experimentally validated vehicle model, as well as the proof-of-concept experiments on an electric quadricycle prototype, highlight the benefits of the novel controllers.