Human Vehicle Dynamics Coupling of Miniature Electric Vehicle Roll Stability: Effects of Driver Weight, Wheel Base and Track Width

Abstract

Abstract As a continuation of the previous research, influences of human vehicle dynamics coupling (HVDC) on miniature electric vehicle (MEV) roll stability are studied by varying driver weight, wheel base and track width. A multi-body dynamics model is developed for the human-vehicle system by ADAMS/Car software considering driver’s dynamics and is validated theoretically. Simulation results show that the MEV roll stability is decreased by the HVDC; the influences become greater with an increase in the proportion of the driver weight to curb weight of the MEV in both time and frequency domain; with the decrease of wheel base, the differences caused by the HVDC exhibit an increasing trend in the maximum value and overshoot; and the differences in the steady stable roll angle and phase lag at 0.6 Hz indicate an increasing tendency with the decrease of track width.