Control systems of zero curvature are not necessarily trivializable

Abstract

A control system $\dot{q} = f(q,u)$ is said to be trivializable if there exists local coordinates in which the system is feedback equivalent to a control system of the form $\dot{q} = f(u)$. In this paper we characterize trivializable control systems and control systems for which, up to a feedback transformation, $f$ and $\partial f/\partial u$ commute. Characterizations are given in terms of feedback invariants of the system (its control curvature and its centro-affine curvature) and thus are completely intrinsic. To conclude we apply the obtained results to Zermelo-like problems on Riemannian manifolds.