A comparative study of model predictive control (MPC) schemes and robust A state feedback control (RSC) method for trajectory tracking, is proposed in this paper. Both MPC-based and RSC-based tracking controllers are designed on the basis of a 3-DOF vehicle model, including longitudinal, lateral and yaw motions. The main objective of this paper is to compare both controllers’ performance in tracking expected trajectory under different scenarios. Therefore, three cases, namely, verification test, double lane change test and curve test, were built in Carsim-Simulink joint platform. The simulation results indicate that MPC controller performed better in terms of accuracy and responding time under well driving conditions. However, in the test of double lane change manoeuvre where the road adhesion was set as 0.2, the maximum velocity RSC can execute was 14m/s, while that for MPC was 10m/s. In addition, in the curve test, the maximum velocity MPC can carry out was only 9m/s and that for RSC was 12m/s. In conclusion, RSC was robust and stable when the driving conditions was worse, while MPC was prone to be unstable.

A comparative study of longitudinal and lateral control maneuverer in model predictive control (MPC) schemes and robust state feedback control (RSC) method for trajectory tracking of automated ground vehicles (AGVs) is presented in this paper. Both MPC-based and RSC-based tracking controller are designed on the same basis of longitudinal-lateral-yaw motions of a single-track vehicle model. The main objective is to compare the controllers’ performance of tracking accuracy of path and velocity under different test scenarios. The simulation is implemented on Carsim-Simulink joint platform using high-fidelity vehicle model and the mass uncertainties, sensor measurement noise and the performance in extreme driving conditions: turn with big curvature are considered. The simulation results indicate that mass uncertainty and sensor measurement noise of lateral velocity have little effect on the RSC-based controller, while that have relatively great influence on MPC-based one. However, MPC-based controller shows a shorter response time and more accurate tracking performance than RSC-based scheme. Finally, for the test of turn with curvature 0.02 , the maximum velocity that RSC-based controller can carry out has reached 22m/s, which is slightly better than MPC-based one: 21m/s.