A control unit (130, 140) for controlling a heavy duty vehicle (100), wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain input data indicative of a desired wheel force (Fx, Fy) to be generated by at least one wheel (210) of the vehicle (100), and to translate the input data into a respective equivalent wheel speed or wheel slip to be maintained by the wheel (210) to generate the desired wheel force (Fx, Fy) based on an inverse tyre model (f−1) for the wheel (210), wherein the control unit (130, 140) is arranged to obtain the inverse tyre model in dependence of a current operating condition of the wheel (210), and wherein the control unit (130, 140) is arranged to control the heavy duty vehicle (100) based on the equivalent wheel speed or wheel slip.