Different types of instability modes in tractor-trailer vehicles, including jackknifing and snaking, necessitate designing a fast and effective control strategy. In this paper, a model predictive controller (MPC) is developed to prevent these instability modes in a car-trailer vehicle as a specific form of tractor-trailer vehicles equipped with differential braking. The effectiveness of the control action when the differential braking is applied only to the tractor and only to the trailer is also studied comparatively. The developed MPC controller utilises an affine tyre force model, and the control actions are limited based on the capacity of the tyres. The aim of the controller is to ensure that the tractor and the trailer follow the desired yaw rate and the desired hitch angle, respectively. The controller performance is evaluated through experimental tests and simulations. Experimental tests are conducted on an all-wheel-drive electric Chevrolet Equinox and a student-built research trailer, both equipped with an independent braking module on each wheel. In the simulations, the controller is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink, and an experimentally validated CarSim model of the tested tractor-trailer vehicle is employed. The results show that the designed MPC controller effectively prevents both instability modes; however, differential braking has much more capacity when it is applied to the tractor.

牵引拖车车辆中不同类型的不稳定模式，包括折断和蛇行，需要设计一种快速有效的控制策略。在本文中，开发了一种模型预测控制器 (MPC) 来防止汽车拖车中的这些不稳定模式，作为配备差动制动的拖拉机拖车的一种特定形式。还比较研究了仅对拖拉机和挂车施加差动制动时控制作用的有效性。开发的 MPC 控制器利用仿射轮胎力模型，控制动作受轮胎容量的限制。控制器的目的是确保牵引车和拖车分别遵循所需的偏航率和牵引角。控制器性能通过实验测试和模拟进行评估。实验测试是在全轮驱动电动雪佛兰 Equinox 和学生制造的研究拖车上进行的，两者的每个车轮都配备了独立的制动模块。在仿真中，控制器在 MATLAB/Simulink 中实现，并采用经过试验验证的被测试牵引拖车的 CarSim 模型。结果表明，所设计的MPC控制器有效地防止了两种不稳定模式；然而，差动制动应用于拖拉机时具有更大的容量。控制器在 MATLAB/Simulink 中实现，并采用经过实验验证的被测试牵引拖车车辆的 CarSim 模型。结果表明，所设计的MPC控制器有效地防止了两种不稳定模式；然而，差动制动应用于拖拉机时具有更大的容量。控制器在 MATLAB/Simulink 中实现，并采用经过实验验证的被测试牵引拖车车辆的 CarSim 模型。结果表明，所设计的MPC控制器有效地防止了两种不稳定模式；然而，差动制动应用于拖拉机时具有更大的容量。