Model Predictive Control of Autonomous Vehicles

The control of autonomous vehicles is a challenging task that requires advanced control schemes. Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) and Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE) are optimization-based control and estimation techniques that are able to deal with highly nonlinear, constrained, unstable and fast dynamic systems. In this chapter, these techniques are detailed, a descriptive nonlinear model is derived and the performance of the proposed control scheme is demonstrated in simulations of an obstacle avoidance scenario on a low-fricion icy road