Method for automatically driving a vehicle under constraint, in particular a bus in a storage facility, and device implementing such a method

Abstract

A method includes at least the following phases: a first phase wherein a path to be followed is generated, the path being subdivided into a series of sections of which the starting point forms an intermediate position; a second phase wherein, at the current intermediate position of the vehicle: a non-zero curvature is defined for each of the next n prediction horizon sections, the curvature varying progressively from one section to the next; a prediction is made, before the vehicle engages a movement, as to whether the path can be followed to the prediction horizon, as a function of imposed constraints and of the estimated lateral and/or longitudinal slips; a third phase wherein, if the path can be followed, the steering lock angle of the front wheels and the linear traction speed of the vehicle are controlled as a function of the state of the vehicle and of the lateral and/or longitudinal slips to line up the centre of the axle of the rear wheels on the path; if the path cannot be followed, the vehicle is realigned towards the target position and a new reference path is generated according to the first phase.