Abstract
Accurate navigation in outdoor environments requires integrating multiple sensor sources for reliable localization and trajectory tracking. This study proposes Pure Pursuit with Dynamic Steering Control (PP-DSC), which adaptively adjusts both lookahead distance and velocity based on steering angle. The algorithm was deployed on a four-wheeled steering-type autonomous mobile robot (AMR) using Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) Jazzy, with real-time sensor fusion from GNSS-RTK, IMU, and wheel encoders. Experiments were conducted on straight, circular, and figure-eight trajectories at 1.0–5.0 m/s in an open area (64 × 20 m). PP-DSC achieved mean lateral deviations of 0.05, 0.07, and 0.08 m respectively, representing 68–82% improvement over standard PP (means 0.19, 0.40, and 0.27 m). To evaluate cross-domain applicability, the algorithm was extended with a Fire and Explosion Index (F&EI)-based safety factor (Safety-integrated PP-DSC) and tested via simulation in an empty fruit bunch (EFB) biodiesel plant (92 × 65 m). Standard PP outperformed Safety-integrated PP-DSC by 15.6% in this industrial setting due to tight turning radii (5–9 m), though Safety-integrated PP-DSC retained advantages in moderate-curvature sections with 11–17% improvement. The F&EI-based safety integration added less than 1% tracking overhead while providing automatic velocity reduction in hazard zones for Process Safety Management (PSM) compliance. The findings confirm that PP-DSC significantly improves trajectory tracking in open-field environments, while industrial deployment requires geometry-specific algorithm selection.
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
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Funding
This research was supported by Gensurv Co., Ltd., Thailand, through the provision of equipment. This work was partially supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) contract no. N84A680679. The authors also acknowledge Khon Kaen University for granting access to research facilities.
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Conceptualization, N.P. and S.S.; Data curation, N.P.; Formal analysis, N.P., N.J., A.P., P.K., and S.S.; Funding acquisition, P.K. and S.S.; Investigation, N.P., N.J. and S.S.; Resources, N.P., P.K., and S.S.; Software, N.P. and S.S.; Supervision, S.S.; Validation, N.P. and S.S.; Writing—original draft preparation, N.P. and S.S.; Writing—review and editing, N.P., N.J., A.P., P.K., and S.S.; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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Promkaew, N., Junhuathon, N., Phuphaphud, A. et al. Enhanced pure pursuit with dynamic steering control for autonomous mobile robots and application to safe navigation in chemical plants. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38695-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38695-1
