Stabilization of motion of a wheeled robot with
constrained control resource by means of a continuous feedback
linearizing the closed-loop system in a neighborhood of the target
path is considered. We pose the problem of finding the feedback
coefficients such that the phase portrait of the nonlinear
closed-loop system is topologically equivalent to that of a linear
system with a stable node, with the asymptotic rate of decrease of
the deviation from the target path being as high as possible. On
this family, we pose the problem of minimization of ``overshooting''
for arbitrary initial conditions. The solution of this optimization
problem is proved to be a limit discontinuous control law. A hybrid
control law is proposed that, on the one hand, ensures the desired
properties of the phase portrait and minimal overshooting and, on
the other hand, does not result in a chattering inherent in systems
with discontinuous feedbacks.