A REVIEW OF THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR ALL-WHEEL STEERING SYSTEMS

Abstract

All-wheel steering refers to steering systems in which the wheels of all or mostly all axles are steered. In passenger cars, rear wheel steering systems use vehicle speed or steering angle to continuously change the position of the turning center, improving vehicle stability and maneuverability. The advantages of allwheel steering are most evident in multi-axle vehicles, as it enables movement in confined spaces and difficult road conditions. In multi-axle vehicles, as well as mobile cranes, systems with multiple motion modes (plane-parallel motion, minimal turning radius) are common, allowing switching between different fixed positions of the turning center projection on the vehicle base. Systems with individual drives for each wheel also exist, which expands the capabilities of all-wheel steering and can simplify the steering system design by using a hydraulic or electric drive. Changing the position of the turning center continuously is most effective in improving vehicle stability and maneuverability. All-wheel steering systems have been developed for a long time by various research teams and industrial organizations, yet scientific and technical publication activity on this topic is currently low. The aim of this paper is to analyze and summarize the information, identify the prospects and application scopes of all-wheel steering with changing turning center based on a review of publications on this topic. This paper reviews existing approaches to forming dependencies between wheels’ steering angles, including for the case of a continuously changing turning center position. Advantages of adjusting wheels’ steering angle depending on continuously changing turning center position are justified, and a theoretical dependence of the steering angle on the turning center position is derived for a vehicle with any number of axles.