This paper presents the most important concepts of the architecture for perception and actuation implemented on a large vehicle with pneumatics wheels, in this case an articulated bus Volvo B10M of 18.75m in length. In addition, some experimental results of the vehicle automation to track a guide rail by means of a mechatronics box of guidance (Rolling Box System) are presented. The automation of this articulated bus provides a combination of intrinsic advantages possessed by buses and conventional trains. This is because it can go up slopes of over 15% and to carry out turns with small radii of curvature, also it can carry a lot of passengers, especially if the new vehicle is used in convoy mode. This mode of transportation is an interesting friendly option and of low cost. This manuscript presents an experimental architecture for perception, actuation and control for the development of lateral and longitudinal control of an articulated bus. This architecture consists of an experimental platform fully instrumented (articulated bus), and a test track built within the premises of the CAR (CSIC-UPM), Madrid, Spain.

Este trabajo ha sido financiado parcialmente por El Instituto Madrileño para el Desarrollo - IMADE PIE/62/2008 (Comunidad de Madrid, ALDESA CONSTRUCCIONES SA, MAXIMASDE), y la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) en el marco del proyecto FORTUNA D/030531/10. El Dr. Héctor Montes Franceschi agradece el apoyo recibido de la Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá y del CSIC bajo el Programa de Postdoctorado JAE-Doc.

Este trabajo fue aceptado como conferencia magistral en el Workshop de Automatización y Control Industrial – WACI-2011, celebrado en Panamá del 29 al 31 de agosto de 2011. Este artículo presenta una extensión de dicha exposición y redacción formal del trabajo de investigación.

Peer reviewed