Abstract
A steering control system based on CAN(Controller Area Network) for autonomous tractor was developed to reduce duty of a central processing computer and to improve performance of steering control in terms of reduced control interval and error. The steering control system consisted of a SCU (Steering Control Unit), an EHPS system, and a potentiometer. The SCU consisted of an MCU (Micro Controller unit), an A/D converter, and a DC-DC converter, and a PID controller was used to control steering angle. The steering control system was communicated with the computer by CAN-bus. Each actuator and implement was connected to a multi-function board interfacing with the computer through a USB cable. Without CAN, control interval of the autonomous tractor was 1.5 seconds. When the CAN-based steering control system was combined with the autonomous tractor, however, control interval of the integrated system was reduced to those less than 0.05 seconds. When the autonomous tractor was operated with 1.5-s and 0.05-s control cycles at a 0.63-m/s travelling speed, the trajectories were close to straight lines for both of the control cycles. For a 1.34-m/s traveling speed, tractor trajectory was close to sine wave with a 1.5-s control cycle, but was straight line with a 0.05-s control cycle.
