Research and Experiment on Path-Tracking Control of Autonomous Tractor Based on Lateral Deviation and Yaw Rate Feedback

Highlights Automatic navigation technology in autonomous tractors is one of the key technologies in precision agriculture. A path-tracking control algorithm based on lateral deviation and yaw rate feedback is proposed. The modified steering angle was obtained by comparing the ideal yaw rate with the actual yaw rate. The results demonstrate the efficiency and superior accuracy of the proposed algorithm for tractor path-tracking control. Abstract. The performance of path-tracking control systems for autonomous tractors affects the quality and efficiency of farmland operations. The objective of this study was to develop a path-tracking control algorithm based on lateral deviation and yaw rate feedback. The autonomous tractor path lateral dynamics model was developed based on preview theory and a two-degree-of-freedom tractor model. According to the established dynamic model, a path-tracking control algorithm using yaw angular velocity correction was designed, and the ideal steering angle was obtained by lateral deviation and sliding mode control. The modified steering angle was obtained by a proportional-integral-derivative feedback controller after comparing the ideal yaw rate with the actual yaw rate, which was then combined with the ideal steering angle to obtain the desired steering angle. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and superior accuracy of the proposed tractor path-tracking control algorithm, enabling its application in automatic navigation control systems for autonomous tractors. Keywords: Autonomous tractor, Path-tracking control, Sliding mode control, Yaw rate feedback.