A vehicle control system adapted to facilitate exiting of ruts includes an
active steering system having a steerable wheel defining a steering
angle. The active steering system also includes a steering wheel
providing a driver input control angle, the active steering system
further including a coupler component, an actuator component, a
controller component, and a sensor component. The components of the
active steering system are operably interconnected such that the
controller component can selectively vary the steering angle relative to
the driver input control angle. The steering angle defines an expected
vehicle yaw when the steerable wheel is not slipping on a contact surface
such as a road surface. The sensor component is configured to provide the
controller with a signal corresponding to an actual yaw angle of a
vehicle. The vehicle control system also includes a braking system
adapted to brake selected wheels of a vehicle. The controller is
configured to determine if a vehicle is in a rut based at least in part
upon the expected vehicle yaw and the actual yaw angle. The controller
provides the braking signal to brake wheels on a first side of a vehicle
more than on a second side to generate a yaw torque tending to increase
the actual yaw angle and thereby facilitate exiting of a rut.