Assessing the performances of all-wheel-controlled race cars via trajectory optimisation methodologies

This paper analyzes the lap-time performance of autonomous vehicles equipped with advanced control systems, including independent torque control for each wheel and real-time adjustment of wheel camber and toe angles. A novel multibody vehicle model, integrated into an optimal control framework, is introduced to assess the impact of these control variables. While technologies like active camber, dynamic toe, and torque vectoring have been individually explored, their combined effect on lap times has received little attention so far. Therefore, leveraging a powerful framework for numerical optimal control for large-scale systems that embeds high-fidelity vehicle dynamics simulations, this paper tries to systematically quantify the influence of these systems on lap times and driving styles. Simulation results show that significant improvements are possible, demonstrating the potential of both innovative vehicle architectures and associated control strategies in competitive racing.