Multi-articulated buses
with multi-axle steering

Multi-articulated buses with multi-axle steering are very long vehicles with high passenger capacity (currently up to 35 m in length, 3 joints, 4 vehicle modules and 8 steered axles) for urban passenger transport. These vehicles - also known as Super Virtual Trains - are electrically powered and can be used like classic trams, only with the advantage of lower costs and greater flexibility, since neither rails nor overhead lines are required for the energy supply.

For this purpose, these vehicles have a complex steering control system that uses joint and steering angle sensors to monitor the vehicle's movement and calculates a virtual track (train-like driving) on which the vehicle can be moved either by a driver or autonomously. For this purpose, the steering control controls up to 8 steer-by-wire steering actuators in such a way that minimal lateral deviations from the virtually calculated track are guaranteed in all driving situations and the vehicles also achieve extremely small turning circles of less than 15 m.

Based on our own physical vehicle models, we develop such steering controls and ensure their correct function in a wide variety of driving situations using closed-loop simulations.

The systems are currently in regular service in multiple articulated buses from CRRC/ZELC in several major cities in China.