The EM-TECH project recently published a paper in Elsevier, titled “On-board electric powertrain control for the compensation of the longitudinal acceleration oscillations caused by road irregularities” (Mechanism and Machine Theory, Volume 202, 2024).

Road irregularities impact vehicle comfort by triggering vertical and longitudinal acceleration oscillations. While most ride comfort solutions today focus on countering the vertical movement of the vehicle’s body, addressing the longitudinal dynamics caused by road bumps has mainly been limited to vehicles with in-wheel powertrains.
The EM-TECH project researched how on-board electric powertrains, including the torsional dynamics of half-shafts, can enhance ride comfort using road profile preview technology. A proof-of-concept nonlinear model predictive controller (NMPC) with road preview is introduced and tested with a validated simulation model of an all-wheel-drive electric vehicle. The study examines three powertrain layouts: one with four in-wheel motors, one with four onboard motors, and one with two on-board motors.

In other words, the EM-TECH research demonstrated that on-board electric powertrains can be used to enhance ride comfort and the longitudinal vehicle dynamics through the preview-based control of the motor torque, accounting for the road irregularities ahead through the input from road scanning sensors.

Check out the full paper to gain a deeper understanding of this breakthrough and explore the exceptional results in detail—it’s packed with insights that could redefine vehicle comfort technology.