To ensure lateral stability during the cruising of a differential steering vehicle (DSV), this paper presents a curving adaptive cruise control (ACC) system coordinated with a differential steering control (DSC) system, which considers both longitudinal cruising capability and lateral stability on curved roads. Firstly, a DSV dynamics model is developed and a control strategy architecture for a curving ACC system is designed. Then, the car-following control strategy for the curving ACC system is designed based on the fuzzy model predictive control (FMPC) algorithm. The strategy aims to improve the economy and balances car following, safety, comfort and economy. Moreover, fuzzy logic rules are designed to update the weight coefficients of the performance indicators in real time. Finally, the lateral stability controller is designed based on the preview algorithm and the sliding mode control (SMC) algorithm. The simulation results show that the lateral stability of the DSV during the curving cruise is realized via the control of the differential drive torque of the two front wheels. The proposed FMPC controller and SMC controller based on the preview control algorithm satisfy the performance in terms of vehicle following and lateral stable driving in the process of cruising.

A combined system consisting of a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is provided for automotive applications in this paper. The combined system uses HT-PEMFC stack cathode exhaust gas to preheat the inlet gas and the ORC to recover the waste heat from the stack. The model of the combined system was developed and the feasibility of the model was verified. In addition, the evaluation index of the proposed system was derived through an energy and exergy analysis. The numerical simulation results show that the HT-PEMFC stack, cathode heat exchanger, and evaporator contributed the most to the total exergy loss of the system. These components should be optimized as a focus of future research to improve system performance. The lower current density increased the ecological function and the system efficiency, but reduced the system’s net out-power. A higher inlet temperature and higher hydrogen pressures of the stack and the lower oxygen pressure helped improve the system performance. Compared to the HT-PEFC system without an ORC subsystem, the output power of the combined system was increased by 12.95%.