The Role of Rear Cornering Stiffness in Vehicle Directional Dynamics

Abstract

The transfer functions between the variables in linear bicycle models of four wheel automobiles, the input to which is steering angle, were examined. The modal response transfer functions between all of the motion outputs, with the exception of front tire slip angle, were found to be independent of front tire cornering stiffness. It is a role unique to rear cornering stiffness to define the above mentioned transfer functions. This concept was also deductively demonstrated, providing additional insight into the physical basis of the proposition.