Approaching fuzzy sliding mode strategy for automotive suspension based on the view of enhancing ride comfort and vehicle stability

This work introduces an algorithm integrated from two component signals called fuzzy sliding mode control (FSMC). This aims to ensure both road holding and ride comfort criteria rather than just one, as mentioned in previous articles. These mentioned criteria are guaranteed based on the design of membership functions and fuzzy rules, while the stability of the sliding mode framework is evaluated through the Lyapunov function. Simulations are performed in the MATLAB-Simulink interface, with four cases corresponding to different road types. According to the calculation results, the displacement and acceleration values of the sprung mass are the smallest once the FSMC method is used to control automotive suspension. In the last case, the wheel can be separated from the road if the automobile has only a passive suspension system or an active suspension system controlled by the proportional integral derivative (PID) algorithm. However, this does not happen when the FSMC algorithm is applied. As a result, the vehicle’s road holding and ride comfort can be ensured in many conditions.