A vehicle with an actively adjustable axle system suitable for traveling
over even or uneven terrain with a load is herein proposed. The vehicle
includes a frame having a front end, a rear end, and a fore-aft axis
extending therebetween; a body mounted to the frame; an adjustable axle
assembly mounted to the frame such that the adjustable axle assembly is
aligned substantially orthogonal to the fore-aft axis; a pair of wheels
rotatably mounted on the ends of the adjustable axle assembly such that
the wheels are aligned substantially in parallel and are thereby capable
of facilitating moving interaction with the ground; at least one
supplemental ground-interacting apparatus mounted to the frame such that
each supplemental ground-interacting apparatus cooperates with the pair
of wheels to thereby maintain clearance between both the frame and the
body and the ground; an actuation system capable of mechanically
adjusting the adjustable axle assembly to thereby adjust the fore-aft
position of the pair of wheels relative to both the frame and the body;
and an electronic controller mounted to the body and electrically
connected to the actuation system. In such a configuration, the
electronic controller is capable of communicating electrical control
signals to the actuation system to thereby adjust the fore-aft position
of the pair of wheels as necessary to actively maintain the fore-aft
stability of the vehicle.