Active and Passive Control Strategies for Ride Stability and Handling Enhancement in Three-Wheelers

Three-wheeled vehicles are increasingly adopted as sustainable transport solutions, but their asymmetric design and lightweight structure make them vulnerable to ride discomfort and rollover instability. This study develops a high-fidelity 12-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) dynamic model in MATLAB/Simulink and MSC ADAMS to analyze and improve ride comfort, handling, and roll stability. The model captures longitudinal, lateral, vertical, roll, pitch, and yaw motions, along with tire dynamics represented through the Magic Formula, and is validated using real-world data from an instrumented test vehicle. In this research, both active and passive control strategies were separately implemented and studied. The active strategy involves an Active Vehicle Roll Dynamics Control (VRDC) system with an active rear suspension to suppress roll and yaw during aggressive maneuvers. The passive strategy focuses on improving rollover resistance by modulating throttle input based on sensor data from gyroscopes, accelerometers, and compasses. Simulation and experimental results show that each strategy, when applied independently, enhances roll stability, reduces yaw rate deviations, and improves handling performance. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of both approaches in improving the safety and dynamic behavior of electric three-wheeled vehicles under real-world conditions.