Cascade control algorithm for slip rate in a brake-by-wire system based on direct drive valve

To achieve a rapid response and precise control of braking hydraulic pressure, a brake-by-wire electro-hydraulic braking system based on a direct drive valve was designed. This system employs an electromagnetic linear actuator to drive the valve core directly, achieving swift adjustment of brake wheel cylinder hydraulic pressure. Given the strong coupling and non-linearity of the electromagnetic linear actuator, solely using a single-loop controller to control the slip rate can easily lead to weakened system performance. Hence, we proposed a cascade control algorithm for the brake-by-wire system, with an outer loop for slip rate control and an inner loop for direct drive valve position. The outer loop adopted a fuzzy PID control, while the inner loop adopted a model-free adaptive sliding mode control. By combining model-free adaptive control with a novel discrete exponential approach, we addressed the system’s non-linearity and unknown disturbances. A braking system test platform was constructed to verify the superior hydraulic tracking performance of this brake-by-wire system and to perform slip rate control performance analysis under different road conditions. Results demonstrated that compared to the fuzzy PID-MFAC algorithm, the proposed fuzzy PID-MFASMC control enhanced car slip rate control precision, and reduced both braking time and distance.