Division of Engineering Programs

EGE416 Control Systems

Instructor and Project Creator: Julio Jorge González
Course Design Project: Adaptive Cruise Control- Spring 2023

Conditions: Groups of two students (student working alone only with special
permission of instructor)
Submission: One report per group, submitted electronically to Brightspace →
PROJECT as a PDF file.
Name and major: _________________________________________
Name and major: _________________________________________
Score Table
Task # Score Comment
0 /10

1 /70

2 /20

3 (BONUS) /10

TOTAL /100

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1. Description of the System

Consider the two cars of Figure 1:

Figure 1: Two cars and a distance sensor

We call t = 0 the instant when we start measuring position. We call the position of our
car y (t ) and the position of the car in front of us x(t ) . The distance between the two cars, d (t ) is
the difference between the two mentioned positions:
d (t ) = x(t ) − y (t ) (1)

1.1 The Sensor

Our car sends a radar signal ahead. This signal bounces on the car in front, and reflects
back. Because the radar signal travels at a known speed (speed of light), we can measure
the distance between the two cars by measuring the time that it takes the signal to travel
forth and back.

Our car has electronics that provides an output d f (t ) = 10 [V] when the distance between
cars is d (t ) = 100 [m] .Therefore, the sensor transfer function is:
D ( s) [Volts]
H ( s) = f = 0.1 (2)
D( s ) [meter]

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1.2 The Plant
Consider the plant of Figure 2:

Figure 2: The plant

• We apply control signal u (t ) to the unity-gain operational amplifier buffer.

• The same voltage appears across the coil, producing a current. However, the coil current
does not come from the operational amplifier output, but from the 15 [Volt] power supply
trough the NPN transistor. Notice that the operational amplifier output only needs to
provide the transistor small base current.
• The coil current produces a magnetic force that, acting on a mechanism, pushes down the
car accelerator, creating an angle u '(t ) with respect to the equilibrium position. This
acceleration modifies the car velocity v(t ) and the car position y (t ) .
• The elements described above are:
o The buffer (the operational amplifier),
o The actuator (coil + mechanism+ accelerator), and
o The car.
We define these three elements as the plant.
We obtain the plant transfer function from the following experiment:
• We suddenly apply 10 V to the input (that is, that is, u(t ) = 10us (t ) [V] ).
• This produces an accelerator angle u '(t ) = 30us (t ) [ ] , which makes the car to go from 0 to
a steady-state velocity of 67.5 [miles/hour] in 7.5 [seconds].

From this experiment, we obtain the plant transfer function as:

Y ( s) 3 2 m
P( s ) = = = (3)
U ( s) s(1.5s + 1) s( s + 0.67)  V 

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2. The Open-Loop System

Putting together equations (1), (2) and (3), we obtain the following block
diagram:

Figure 3: Open-Loop System

The position of the car in front, x(t ) , is an independent input that affects the output d (t ) .
Therefore, it works as a perturbation.

3. The Closed-Loop System

We want to control the distance between cars in closed loop, using the closed-loop
structure indicated in Figure 4:

Figure 4: Proposed Closed-Loop Control Structure

We wish to use a phase-lead controller, whose transfer function has the following format:
1
s+
aTs + 1 aT
C (s) = K c = aK c (4)
Ts + 1 1
s+
T

We will find appropriate values of controller parameters Kc , a, T  to satisfy desired design
specifications.

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4. Design Specifications
The following three situations, Situation 1, Situation 2, and Situation 3, assume that, prior to
them happening, we are driving our car 40 [m] behind the front car, and that the speed of both
cars is 30 [m/s].

Situation 1: Suddenly, we wish to track the front car at a safer distance, say d = 50 [m] .
Mathematically, this means an incremental step of the reference input r (t ) = 10 us (t ) . The
speed of the front car remains the same.
• After the transient, we would like to end up exactly 50 [m] behind the car in front.
Therefore, the steady-state error must be eR () step = 0 in response to a step
r (t ) = 10 us (t ) of the reference signal.
• We would like to achieve the new distance of 50 [m] in about 5 seconds.
• We do not tolerate any overshoot in the step response (This is because, in the opposite
situation in which we would like to get closer to the front car, an overshoot would
create a dangerous proximity during the transient).

NOTE: We will design the controller to satisfy the design specifications for Situation 1. After
we have done that, we will investigate how our control system would perform in Situation 2
and Situation 3.

Situation 2: Suppose that, very quickly, the front car changes speed from 30 [m/s] to 33
[m/s] (Notice that the relative speed of the front car with respect to our car changes
quickly from 0 to 3 [m/s]). However, our reference input remains R = 40 .

We are curious to see how well our car will be able to track the accelerated front car. Will
the distance remain d = 40 [m] after a transient? Or will there be a steady-state error and
the distance will become different from 40 [m]? Mathematically, we would like to obtain
the steady-state error eX () ramp in response to an incremental ramp of the perturbation
signal x(t ) = 40 + 3t us (t ) .

Situation 3: This is the opposite to Situation 1. Suddenly, we wish to track the front car at
an unsafe distance of, say d = 30 [m] . Mathematically, this means an incremental step of
the reference input r (t ) = −10 us (t ) . The speed of the front car remains the same.

Since we need to accelerate, we are curious to see what the control cost is. In other
words, we would like to know the maximum value of control signals u (t ) [V] and
u '(t ) [ ] to see whether those values are physically attainable, or if they might produce
electrical or mechanical saturation.

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5. Project tasks
Task #0 (10 points)
• 5 points: Create a block diagram by connecting the controller and the open-loop
system of Figure 4 so that we will have a negative feedback closed-loop control
system. Discuss why your block diagram has negative feedback.

• 5 points. Convert your block diagram into an equivalent Signal Flow Graph (SFG)
that will be easier to simulate.

Task #1 (70 points). This task refers to Situation 1. Design a phase-lead controller to satisfy the
design specification described in Situation 1.
• 10 points: Define the root location that agrees with the design specifications.

• 30 points: Calculate suitable values of controller parameters Kc , a, T 

• 30 points: Simulate the step response d (t ) , when we suddenly request our car to
increase the tracking distance from 40 [m] to 50 [m]. (Code = 10 points; plot = 10
points; Comment on plot in regard to attainment of design specifications=10 points).

Task #2 (20 points). This task refers to Situation 2.

• 10 points: Calculate mathematically the steady steady-state error eX () ramp in

response to an incremental ramp of the perturbation signal x(t ) = 40 + 3t us (t )

• 10 points: Simulate Situation 2. Plot signals x(t ) , yx (t ) (The sub-index indicates that
the output changes due to x(t ) , not r (t ) ), and distance d (t ) on the same graph.
Verify from this graph your theoretical calculation of eX () ramp

Task #3 (Bonus 10 points). This task refers to Situation 3.

• 10 points: Simulate Situation 3. Plot signals d (t ) [m] , u (t ) [V] and u '(t ) [ ] on the
same graph. Comment on the significance of this graph.