  Autonomous vehicle path following performance is one of significant
consideration. This paper presents discrete time design of robust PD controlled
system with disturbance observer (DOB) and communication disturbance observer
(CDOB) compensation to enhance autonomous vehicle path following performance.
Although always implemented on digital devices, DOB and CDOB structure are
usually designed in continuous time in the literature and also in our previous
work. However, it requires high sampling rate for continuous-time design block
diagram to automatically convert to corresponding discrete-time controller
using rapid controller prototyping systems. In this paper, direct discrete time
design is carried out. Digital PD feedback controller is designed based on the
nominal plant using the proposed parameter space approach. Zero order hold
method is applied to discretize the nominal plant, DOB and CDOB structure in
continuous domain. Discrete time DOB is embedded into the steering to path
following error loop for model regulation in the presence of uncertainty in
vehicle parameters such as vehicle mass, vehicle speed and road-tire friction
coefficient and rejecting external disturbance like crosswind force. On the
other hand, time delay from CAN bus based sensor and actuator command
interfaces results in degradation of system performance since large negative
phase angles are added to the plant frequency response. Discrete time CDOB
compensated control system can be used for time delay compensation where the
accurate knowledge of delay time value is not necessary. A validated model of
our lab Ford Fusion hybrid automated driving research vehicle is used for the
simulation analysis while the vehicle is driving at high speed. Simulation
results successfully demonstrate the improvement of autonomous vehicle path
following performance with the proposed discrete time DOB and CDOB structure.
