Path-tracking for a Tractor-Trailer-like Robot

Abstract

Path-tracking controllers for tractor-trailer-like robots are de signed by generalizing the geometric path-tracking approach currently adopted for car-like robots. This is done by formaliz ing the concepts of speed and lateral and heading offsets and by assuming slippage-free motion. The main result is that for straight-line or circular-arc paths to be tracked with a con stant velocity, path-tracking may be ensured by means of a linear, time-invariant, and decoupled controller, the gains of which may be determined using familiar proportional-integral- derivative (PID) and state-feedback techniques.