Longitudinal control of an autonomous vehicle using fixed-time optimal fast terminal sliding mode on Arduino

This study proposes a fixed-time optimal fast terminal sliding mode control (OFTSMC) for precise and robust longitudinal control of an autonomous vehicle. The controller ensures fast convergence and improved performance, with its parameters optimised using particle swarm optimisation (PSO). The approach begins with modelling the vehicle's longitudinal dynamics, followed by the design of the proposed controller. Stability is ensured through a Lyapunov - based fixed-time convergence analysis. The proposed method is validated through MATLAB/Simulink simulations and real-world experiments on a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle using an Arduino Uno. Both results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed controller, demonstrating accurate tracking and strong robustness, with up to 76% reduction in error variance compared to traditional methods, for practical applications in vehicle dynamics control.