What is yaw pitching and rolling on a vehicle?

Answer 1

The terms 'yaw, roll and pitch' describe the three axis of rotation of a vehicle body (or, indeed, a vessel or aircraft).

Roll is a rotation about the longitudinal (front to rear) axis, commonly (but not always) referred to as the 'X' axis by vehicle designers. This is the motion you would notice under heavy cornering where the body leans towards the outside of the bend.

Pitch is a rotation about the lateral (left to right) axis, commonly referred to as the 'Y' axis. This is noticeable under heavy braking or harsh acceleration where the nose of the vehicle may be seen to dip or lift.

Yaw is a rotation about the vertical or 'Z' axis. Although, strictly speaking, steering a vehicle under normal conditions may be considered a yawing rotation, a yaw angle is more usually considered to be a difference between the direction of travel and the longitudinal axis of the body. This may be the case, for example, where the vehicle is skidding or drifting, or in extreme circumstances where the suspension geometry is badly misaligned and the vehicle noticeably 'crabs' as it drives along.