Control Apparatus Applying Arbitration To Plurality Of Received Control Requests

A control apparatus for a vehicle can receive a plurality of control requests each expressing a requested position and requested attitude angle for the vehicle, the control requests originating from respective control request apparatuses such as driver assistance apparatuses. The control apparatus executes arbitration to select one of the control requests, which is then converted to a corresponding yaw rate control request. The converted yaw rate control request is supplied to a yaw rate control apparatus, which controls the vehicle motion accordingly.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a block diagram showing the general configuration of a control platform10, for installation in a motor vehicle that is equipped with a plurality of position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53, a yaw rate control request apparatus54, a steering control apparatus61and a braking control apparatus62. The position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53respectively produce respective control requests each specifying a requested position and requested attitude angle of the host vehicle, which are inputted to the control platform10. The yaw rate control request apparatus54produces a yaw rate control request which is also inputted to the control platform10. The control platform10arbitrates between the plurality of received control requests and outputs resultant control requests, based on the arbitration, to the steering control apparatus61and to the braking control apparatus62.

The control objectives of the position/attitude control requests produced from the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53are in the dimensions of position and attitude angle of the host vehicle. A position control request may designate a required position of the center of mass of the vehicle by XY global coordinates, as illustrated inFIG. 2. However it is equally possible to specify such a position with respect to a previously established reference position, attained at a previously registered time point. An attitude angle control request may specify a required attitude angle of the vehicle by XY global coordinates, e.g., as an angle θ between the X-axis and the straight-ahead direction of the vehicle at the current time, as illustrated inFIG. 2. However it would be equally possible to specify an angular difference with respect to the heading direction attained by the vehicle at a preceding reference time point. With this embodiment, each position/attitude control request produced from the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53contains a combination of such a position control request and attitude angle control request.

Each position/attitude control request from the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53also includes information specifying a maximum allowable yaw rate and a minimum allowable yaw rate. These values are determined as being allowable with respect to the standpoint of the position/attitude control request apparatus51,52or53which issues that position/attitude control request.

Specific examples of the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53are an auto-park system, an autonomous vehicle following system, an autonomous lane following system, etc.

The yaw rate control request apparatus54produces control requests having yaw rate as the dimension of the control objective. Specific examples of the yaw rate control request apparatus54include a side-wind handling system, a side-skid prevention system, etc. Each yaw rate control request produced from the yaw rate control request apparatus54also includes information specifying maximum and minimum values of allowable yaw rate.

As shown inFIG. 1, the control platform10is basically formed of a position/attitude control platform20and a yaw rate control platform40. The position/attitude control platform20includes a position/attitude control request arbitration section21, a position/attitude request conversion section22and an achievable position/attitude range conversion section23. The yaw rate control platform40includes a yaw rate control request arbitration section41, a yaw rate request conversion section42and an achievable yaw rate range conversion section43.

The position/attitude control request arbitration section21receives the plurality of position/attitude control requests from the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53and arbitrates between these. Specifically, one of the position/attitude control requests is selected in accordance with an arbitration policy, which is specified by an externally supplied arbitration policy request. The position/attitude control request arbitration section21adjusts the selected position/attitude control request such that the requested position value and requests attitude angle value thereof will respectively be within an achievable position range and achievable attitude angle range (referred to collectively as the achievable position/attitude range in the following). Information specifying the achievable position/attitude range is supplied from the achievable position/attitude range conversion section23.

With this embodiment, the arbitration policy applied by the position/attitude control request arbitration section21is as follows. When a single position/attitude control request is received from a position/attitude control request apparatus of a safety system of the vehicle, that request is selected with priority. If there are a plurality of position/attitude control requests and none of these originates from a safety system, the position/attitude control request which requests (i.e., will result in) a maximum amount of position displacement is selected. If there are a plurality of position/attitude control requests which originate from respective control request apparatuses of the safety system, the highest-priority one of these is selected (in accordance with a predetermined policy concerning the control request apparatuses of the safety system).

However it would be equally possible to modify the arbitration policy in accordance with factors such as conditions of the vehicle and/or the vehicle occupants.

After adjusting the values in the selected position/attitude control request to be within the achievable position/attitude range as described above, the position/attitude control request arbitration section21supplies the resultant adjusted position/attitude control request to the position/attitude request conversion section22, to be converted to a yaw rate control request. The position/attitude request conversion section22performs PID (proportional-integral-derivative) FF (feed-forward) control and FB (feedback) control based on the position/attitude control request supplied from the position/attitude control request arbitration section21, for conversion to a yaw rate control request that is within an achievable yaw rate range (specified by the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43as described hereinafter).

The achievable position/attitude range conversion section23converts the achievable yaw rate range (supplied from the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43of the yaw rate control platform40) to the aforementioned achievable position/attitude range, based on the achievable yaw rate range, characteristics of the vehicle (stored beforehand as a model in a memory), the current position of the vehicle (information detected by a sensor), and the current attitude angle of the vehicle (information detected by a sensor).

The yaw rate control request arbitration section41of the yaw rate control platform40can receive a plurality of yaw rate control requests and apply arbitration to these, for outputting a resultant yaw rate control request. Specifically, the yaw rate control request arbitration section41selects one of the yaw rate control requests that are respectively outputted from the position/attitude control request arbitration section21and the yaw rate control request apparatus54, with the selection performed based on an externally supplied arbitration policy request. The yaw rate control request arbitration section41then (if necessary) adjusts the selected yaw rate control request to be within the aforementioned achievable yaw rate range, and outputs the resultant yaw rate control request to the yaw rate request conversion section42.

The yaw rate request conversion section42converts that yaw rate control request to a steering assist torque request and a braking torque request, by executing PID FF and FB control based on the yaw rate control request. The steering assist torque request is supplied to a steering control apparatus61and the braking torque request is supplied to a braking control apparatus62.

The achievable yaw rate range conversion section43converts an achievable steering assist torque range (expressed by information from the steering control apparatus61) and an achievable braking torque range (expressed by information from the braking control apparatus62) to the aforementioned achievable yaw rate range. Specifically, the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43calculates the achievable yaw rate range based upon the achievable steering assist torque range, the achievable braking torque range, characteristics of the host vehicle (stored beforehand as a model in a memory), and the yaw rate at the current time (detected by a sensor).

The yaw rate request conversion section42repetitively (with a control period of several msecs) outputs steering assist torque requests, and the steering control apparatus61responds accordingly by controlling a degree of steering assist force such as to realize the requested value of steering assist torque, with the steering assist torque being within the achievable steering assist torque range. The steering control apparatus61expresses the achievable steering assist torque range as an upper limit value and lower limit value of a currently actually achievable range of steering assist torque. Similarly, the braking control apparatus62expresses the achievable braking torque range as an upper limit value and lower limit value of a currently actually achievable range of braking torque.

Based on the achievable steering assist torque range supplied from the steering control apparatus61, the achievable braking torque range supplied from the braking control apparatus62, the vehicle characteristics, and the yaw rate at the current time, the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43calculates the (currently) achievable yaw rate range. The achievable yaw rate range is supplied to the yaw rate control request arbitration section41, to the position/attitude request conversion section22and the achievable position/attitude range conversion section23of the position/attitude control platform20, and to the yaw rate control request apparatus54. Based on that achievable yaw rate range, the yaw rate control request apparatus54calculates a requested yaw rate, which is outputted in a yaw rate control request to the yaw rate control request arbitration section41.

The achievable position/attitude range conversion section23receives information expressing the achievable yaw rate range from the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43, the vehicle characteristics, the current position of the vehicle and the current attitude angle of the vehicle, and uses the information to calculate the achievable position/attitude range. Information expressing the achievable position/attitude range is supplied to the position/attitude control request arbitration section21and to each of the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53. The position/attitude control request apparatuses51,62,53calculate respective requested positions and attitude angles based on the achievable position/attitude range, and thereby produce respective position/attitude control requests which are inputted to the position/attitude control request arbitration section21of the position/attitude control platform20as described above.

The control platform10of this embodiment is configured as an ECU (electronic control unit) based on a microcomputer, which is installed on the host vehicle, with the respective functions of the position/attitude control platform20and of the yaw rate control platform40being performed by execution of modules of a program which is held stored in a non-volatile memory of the microcomputer. Hence there are no specific limitations upon the hardware configuration of the control platform10. Furthermore it would be equally possible for the functions of the position/attitude control platform20and of the yaw rate control platform40to be performed by execution of respective programs by microcomputers of two or more separate ECUs. Similarly, the functions of the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53may be performed through execution of modules of a single program which is held stored in a non-volatile memory of a microcomputer, or through execution of programs by respectively different microcomputers, so that there are no specific limitations upon the hardware configuration of the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52,53.

Description of Operation

The operation of specific sections of the control platform10is described in the following.

The arbitration processing performed by the position/attitude control request arbitration section21will be described referring to the flow diagram ofFIG. 3. The processing routine shown inFIG. 3is repetitively executed, and will be described assuming that a plurality of position/attitude control requests are received by the position/attitude control request arbitration section21from the position/attitude control request apparatuses51,52and53respectively. Firstly in step S105a decision is made as to whether the received requests include a request from a position/attitude control request apparatus of a safety system of the host vehicle. Recognition of a position/attitude control request apparatus of a safety system is performed in a predetermined manner, based on characteristics of such an apparatus (such as the effects, with respect to safety, of driver support that is realized by the apparatus).

If it is judged in step S105that the position/attitude control requests include one or more requests from position/attitude control request apparatuses of the safety system, step S110is then executed. In step S110, if there is a single request from a position/attitude control request apparatus of the safety system then that is selected, while if there are a plurality of such requests, the request having highest priority is selected. With this embodiment, only one of two levels of priority can be assigned, i.e., “high” or “low”. However the invention is not limited to this, and it would be equally possible to employ three or more priority levels.

If it is judged in step S105that the received position/attitude control requests do not include any request from a position/attitude control request apparatus of the safety system, step S107is then executed. In step S107, the position/attitude control request which requires the greatest amount of (position) displacement is selected. Following execution of step S110or step S107, step S115is then executed.

If requested positions are expressed in absolute coordinates, then the amount of displacement is calculated as the difference between the position specified in the currently selected position/attitude control request and the position specified by the precedingly selected request. If requested positions are expressed as relative positions, then the amount of displacement is obtained as the distance between the position specified in the currently selected position/attitude control request and the position specified by the precedingly selected request (as an origin point).

In step S115a decision is made as to whether an absolute value of attitude angle difference exceeds a predetermined set value. Here, the attitude angle difference is the difference between the currently requested attitude angle (i.e., specified by the currently selected position/attitude control request) and the precedingly requested attitude angle (whose value was obtained in the preceding execution of the processing ofFIG. 3). The value of that precedingly requested attitude angle is stored in a memory of the position/attitude control request arbitration section21. The set value of attitude angle difference is predetermined such that, if the value were to be exceeded, problems might arise with respect to the vehicle stability or the comfort of the vehicle occupants.

If it is judged in step S115that the absolute value of attitude angle difference exceeds the predetermined set value, then step S120is executed in which smoothing processing (filter processing) is initiated. Specifically, the requested attitude angle value (as outputted to the position/attitude request conversion section22) is gradually increased or decreased, as appropriate, to finally attain the attitude angle value specified by the currently selected position/attitude control request. This ensures that the requested attitude angle which is actually applied in controlling the vehicle will change only gradually. Step S125is then executed.

However if it is judged in step S115that the absolute value of attitude angle difference does not exceed the predetermined set value, step S125is executed directly, with step S120being skipped.

In step S125a decision is made as to whether the requested attitude angle (after smoothing processing, if applied) exceeds the upper limit of the achievable attitude angle range.

If the requested attitude angle is judged to exceed that upper limit, step S130is then executed in which the upper limit value of the achievable attitude angle range is set as the requested attitude angle. It is thereby ensured that the requested attitude angle is within the achievable attitude angle range. Operation then proceeds to step S145.

However if it is judged in step S125that the currently requested attitude angle does not exceed the upper limit of the achievable attitude angle range, step S135is then executed, in which a decision is made as to whether the requested attitude angle (after smoothing processing, if applied) is less than the lower limit of the achievable attitude angle range.

If it is judged in step S135that the requested attitude angle is less than that lower limit, step S140is then executed in which the lower limit of the achievable attitude angle range is set as the requested attitude angle. It is thereby ensured that the requested attitude angle is within the achievable attitude angle range. Operation then proceeds to step S145.

However if it is judged in step S135that the requested attitude angle is not less than the lower limit value of the achievable attitude angle range, step S145is then executed, with step S140being skipped.

In step S145, a decision is made as to whether the requested position displacement amount (as defined hereinabove), specified by the position/attitude control request selected in step S107or S110, exceeds a predetermined set value. The set value is predetermined such that, if it is exceeded, problems might arise with respect to the vehicle stability or the comfort of the vehicle occupants.

If it is judged in step S145that the requested position displacement amount exceeds the set value, step S150is then executed, in which smoothing processing is initiated. This is performed (i.e., by gradual variation of requested position values which are outputted from the position/attitude control request arbitration section21) in the same manner as described above for smoothing of the requested attitude angle values. Step S155is then executed.

However if it is judged in step S145that the requested position displacement amount does not exceed the set value, step S155is then executed directly, with step S150being skipped.

In step S155a decision is made as to whether the requested position displacement amount exceeds the upper limit of the achievable displacement amount range (specified by the achievable position/attitude range conversion section23.

If it is judged in step S155that the requested displacement amount exceeds the upper limit of the achievable displacement amount range, operation then proceeds to step S160. In step S160, the requested position is changed to a position which is distant from the current position as far as possible while maintaining the position displacement amount within the achievable displacement amount range (i.e., the position displacement amount is set equal to the upper limit of that range), and which lies on the direction between the current position of the vehicle and the position that is requested by the selected position/attitude control request.

However if it is judged in step S155that the requested displacement amount will not exceed the upper limit of the achievable displacement amount range, step S165is then executed to judge whether the requested displacement amount is smaller than the lower limit of the achievable displacement amount range.

If it is judged in step S165that the requested displacement amount is less than the lower limit of the achievable displacement amount range, step S170is then executed. In step S170, the requested position is changed to be as close as possible to the current position (i.e., such that the position displacement will be the lower limit value of the achievable displacement amount range), while lying on the direction between the current position of the vehicle and the position that is requested by the selected position/attitude control request.

However if it is judged in step S165that the requested displacement amount is not less than the lower limit value of the achievable displacement amount range, execution of the processing routine is then ended.

FIG. 4Ais a timing diagram showing an example of time-axis variation of attitude angle values specified by respective ones of a plurality of position/attitude control requests which are inputted to the position/attitude control request arbitration section21, while FIG.4B shows corresponding results of arbitration by the position/attitude control request arbitration section21, i.e., results obtained from successive executions of the processing routine ofFIG. 3. InFIGS. 4A,4B time is plotted along the horizontal axis and attitude angle along the vertical axis.

The full-line portion inFIG. 4Aillustrates the variation of the attitude angle specified by a position/attitude control request from a first position/attitude control request apparatus of a safety system of the host vehicle. The single-dot chain line portion inFIG. 4Asimilarly illustrates the variation of requested attitude angle of a position/attitude control request from a second position/attitude control request apparatus of the safety system. The double-dot chain line portion inFIG. 4Aillustrates the variation of requested attitude angle specified by a position/attitude control request from a third position/attitude control request apparatus, which is of a vehicle system other than the safety system. The two (upper and lower) broken-line portions respectively illustrate the variation of the upper limit of the achievable attitude angle range and of the lower limit of that range.

With this example, the attitude angle request from the second position/attitude control request apparatus (single-dot chain line portion) is terminated at a time point t1 as shown.

InFIG. 4B, the thick line portion illustrates the results of applying arbitration to the request contents shown inFIG. 4A, i.e., illustrates the requested attitude angle values which are outputted from the position/attitude control request arbitration section21. It is assumed that the second position/attitude control request apparatus has the highest priority. The portions (A) to (C) indicated inFIG. 4Bare described in the following.

(A) The position/attitude control request arbitration section21continuously selects the requested attitude angle values originating from that apparatus, so long as the request continues and the condition of priority is maintained. This corresponds to processing of steps S105to S110ofFIG. 3above.

(B) At time point t1, when the request from the second position/attitude control request apparatus is terminated, the position/attitude control request arbitration section21selects the attitude angle values of the position/attitude control request from the first position/attitude control request apparatus (which is also of the safety system, full-line portion inFIG. 4A). This will result in a sudden large change in requested attitude angle value. Hence, smoothing processing is applied as described hereinabove, to produce a gradual transition to the requested attitude angle value requested by the first position/attitude control request apparatus. This corresponds to the processing of steps S115, S120ofFIG. 3above.

(C) At time point t2, the upper limit value of the achievable attitude angle range becomes lowered. As a result, the requested attitude angle values from the first position/attitude control request apparatus become greater than the upper limit of the achievable attitude angle range. Hence these attitude angle values are reduced by being limited to the upper limit value of the achievable attitude angle range, to ensure that the achievable attitude angle range is not exceeded. This corresponds to the processing of steps S125to S140ofFIG. 3above.

The operation of the position/attitude request conversion section22is described in the following, referring to the conceptual block diagram ofFIG. 5. The functions of this section are performed by execution of a program which is stored in an internal memory of the position/attitude control platform20.

As shown in theFIG. 5the position/attitude request conversion section22basically consists of a reference vehicle model section71, a noise filter section72, a variable gain determination section73, a FF controller74, a FB controller75and a yaw rate controller76. The reference vehicle model section71applies filter processing respectively to the requested attitude angle and position values which are specified by the currently selected position/attitude control request (i.e., values which have been modified by limiting and/or smoothing processing if necessary). This filter processing is of a similar order to a frequency response characteristic of the yaw rate control platform40.

The noise filter72applies noise filtering to eliminate random noise from actual values of the vehicle attitude angle and vehicle position, which are received from sensors such as a speed sensor etc., of the host vehicle.

The variable gain determination section73determines a first variable gain value (to be applied by the FB controller75as described hereinafter), in accordance with the extent of deviation between the requested position value as produced from the reference vehicle model71and the actual position value, produced from the noise filter72. This serves to ensure that control convergence will not be lost, i.e., to ensure that requested yaw rate values will not have a time-axis resolution which is greater than the resolution (control period) of the yaw rate control. The first variable gain value is determined in accordance with the amount of displacement deviation between the requested position as produced from the reference vehicle model71and the actual position of the vehicle as produced from the noise filter72. Specifically, for example as shown inFIG. 6, if the amount of displacement deviation does not exceed a threshold value ΔL1, then the first variable gain value is set as α, while if the amount of displacement deviation exceeds a threshold value ΔL2 (>ΔL1) then the first variable gain value is set as β. If the amount of displacement deviation is between ΔL1 and ΔL2, then the first variable gain value is determined by linear interpolation between α and β.

A second variable gain value is similarly determined for application by the FB controller75to the attitude angle values.

For simplicity of description, no distinction is shown inFIG. 5between processing of position values and of attitude angle values.

The FF controller74calculates a requested yaw rate, based on the results of multiplying the requested position and requested attitude angle values (as outputted from the reference vehicle model71) by respective proportional gain values, and outputs the result as the FF requested yaw rate.

The FB controller75multiplies the deviation between the requested position (outputted from the reference vehicle model71) and the actual position (from the noise filter72) by the first variable gain value, and multiplies the deviation between the requested attitude angle (outputted from the reference vehicle model71) and the actual attitude angle (from the noise filter72) by the second variable gain value. Feedback control (with this embodiment, PID control) is applied to the resultant position values and attitude angle values, and a yaw rate value is calculated from these and is outputted as the FB requested yaw rate.

However if either of the two following conditions (1) or (2) occurs, exception processing is be applied accordingly to the integration processing of the PID control, as follows:

(1) If the processing limitation status of the yaw rate controller76(described hereinafter) enters the ON state, the integration processing is immediately halted, and the integration value (integration result) which has been attained by that time is stored. Subsequently, when the processing limitation status of the yaw rate controller76returns to the OFF state, the integration processing is recommenced, using the stored integration value as the initial value.

As indicated inFIG. 5, information specifying the processing limitation status is supplied from the yaw rate controller76to the FB controller75.

(2) If the variable gain value becomes α, then the integration processing is halted and the integration value is set to zero. Subsequently, when the variable gain attains a value other than α, the integration processing is recommenced, using zero as the initial value. It should be noted that it is possible to set α as zero.

The yaw rate controller76limits the sum of the FF requested yaw rate and the FB requested yaw rate (that sum value being referred to in the following as the pre-limitation requested yaw rate) to be between the minimum allowable yaw rate and the maximum allowable yaw rate, while also being within the achievable yaw rate range (specified by the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43as described above). The minimum allowable yaw rate and maximum allowable yaw rate values are specified as part of the information constituting the position/attitude control request which is received by the position/attitude request conversion section22from the position/attitude control request arbitration section21.

Specifically, the following processing is applied, in which MAX (A, B) signifies the larger one of two values A and B, while MIN (A, B) signifies the smaller one of the values A and B:

If [pre-limitation requested yaw rate]<MAX ([minimum allowable yaw rate], [lower limit value of achievable yaw rate range]), then

processing limitation status=ON state

If MAX ([minimum allowable yaw rate], [lower limit value of achievable yaw rate range])≦[pre-limitation requested yaw rate]≦MIN ([maximum allowable yaw rate], [upper limit value of achievable yaw rate range]), then

processing limitation status=OFF state

If [pre-limitation requested yaw rate]>MIN ([maximum allowable yaw rate], [upper limit value of achievable yaw rate range]), then

processing limitation status=ON state

The requested yaw rate which is thus calculated is outputted to the yaw rate control platform40.

Effects Obtained by Embodiment

With the control platform10of the above embodiment, the position/attitude control platform20arbitrates between position/attitude control requests which are received from respectively from a plurality of control request apparatuses51,52,53, to select a single request. It is thereby ensured that the number of control sections (other than position/attitude control request apparatuses) required in the system can be held fixed, irrespective of the number of position/attitude control request apparatuses. Hence, design efficiency is enhanced.

Furthermore with the above embodiment, if a plurality of position/attitude control requests are received and these include a request from a position/attitude control apparatus of a safety system, that request is selected with priority by the position/attitude control request arbitration section21. It can thereby be ensured that arbitration of control requests is performed without adverse effects upon safety.

Furthermore when a position/attitude control request is newly selected by the position/attitude control request arbitration section21, if a resultant amount of alteration from the position or attitude angle requested by the precedingly selected control request exceeds a predetermined set value, smoothing processing is applied. This ensures a gradual transition to the newly requested position and attitude angle values, preventing abrupt changes in the motion of the host vehicle.

Furthermore, if a position control request or an attitude control request which is specified by the currently selected position/attitude control request is outside a range which is specified by the achievable position/attitude range conversion section23, the position/attitude control request arbitration section21adjusts the control request to come within the range concerned.

Moreover with the operation of the position/attitude request conversion section22, if a yaw rate control request is outside the range which is specified by the achievable yaw rate range conversion section43, the requested yaw rate is adjusted to come within that range.

Hence there is a reduced occurrence of a condition whereby a control request is inputted to the steering control apparatus61(or to the braking control apparatus62) which cannot be executed, and whereby that condition is detected at the next control timing and correction processing must then be performed. Hence, an improvement in control response can be expected.

With respect to the appended claims: a plurality of control request apparatuses recited in the claims corresponds to the position/attitude control requests51,52,53of the preferred embodiment; an arbitration section corresponds to the arbitration section21of the embodiment; a first conversion section corresponds to a position/attitude request conversion section22of the embodiment; a yaw rate control apparatus corresponds to a combination of the yaw rate control platform40, the steering control apparatus61and the braking control apparatus62; a second conversion section corresponds to the achievable is position/attitude range conversion section23of the embodiment.

Other Embodiments

The invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications or alternative forms may be envisaged. Examples are as follows.

(1) With the arbitration performed by the above embodiment, a single control request is selected from a plurality of inputted control requests. However it would be equally possible for example to obtain a single control request by applying averaging of all of the inputted position/attitude control requests, i.e., taking the average of the respectively requested values of position and the average of the respectively requested values of attitude angle.

(2) It would be equally possible to supply steering control requests to the steering control apparatus61, instead of steering assistance control requests. That is to say, the steering control apparatus61would be controlled such as to realize a requested steering angle.

Furthermore it would be possible to omit the steering control apparatus61or the braking control apparatus62, or to employ additional control apparatuses (such as a left-right torque distribution apparatus, etc.), with appropriate control requests being inputted to such a control apparatuses.