Vehicle control system for exiting ruts

Abstract

A vehicle control system adapted to facilitate exiting of ruts includes an active steering system having a steerable wheel defining a steering angle. The active steering system also includes a steering wheel providing a driver input control angle, the active steering system further including a coupler component, an actuator component, a controller component, and a sensor component. The components of the active steering system are operably interconnected such that the controller component can selectively vary the steering angle relative to the driver input control angle. The steering angle defines an expected vehicle yaw when the steerable wheel is not slipping on a contact surface such as a road surface. The sensor component is configured to provide the controller with a signal corresponding to an actual yaw angle of a vehicle. The vehicle control system also includes a braking system adapted to brake selected wheels of a vehicle. The controller is configured to determine if a vehicle is in a rut based at least in part upon the expected vehicle yaw and the actual yaw angle. The controller provides the braking signal to brake wheels on a first side of a vehicle more than on a second side to generate a yaw torque tending to increase the actual yaw angle and thereby facilitate exiting of a rut.