Robotic Platform for Autonomous Vehicle Safety Assessment

Self-driving cars, or autonomous vehicles, have come a long way, but there is still much research to be done and many improvements could be made, particularly when it comes to human safety. The team has partnered with the Institute of Automated Mobility on simulating real world-driving situations to help and train autonomous vehicles for interactions with traditional automobiles. The design uses a preexisting axial radio-controlled car with enhancements of the wheels, suspension and frame to facilitate the sensor package data collection for position tracking. The team designed a visual tracking system and mounted it to the chassis for camera recognition. These enhancements calibrate and validate the visual tracking, while natively storing the position of the vehicle as it navigates its environment.