Abstract

The self-driving car is the next major step in the automotive industry. By removing human error, the self-driving car will make driving easier, reduce traffic congestion and accidents. Considering this, our senior design project is inspired by the Formula 1/10 Racing Competition. This is an international event which encourages students to learn about self-driving vehicles. Self-driving vehicles use sensors and on-board computers to navigate from one point to another while avoiding obstacles. The backbone of any vehicle is the chassis, which provides the foundation for all other parts. The array of parts attached to our chassis includes cameras, LIDAR, computers, and motors. We are using two cameras which act like eyes in order to tell how far away objects are. This will allow the vehicle to see what is in front of it and determine when it needs to turn. The LIDAR will be the other main sensor used to measure distance in the environment. LIDAR acts much like a radar except it is much faster and uses a laser. The LIDAR makes it so the vehicle can sense objects and walls in every direction, in case the car must go in reverse. The computer is the brain of the vehicle, it receives information from the sensors and makes decisions to tell the car where to go. The motors will receive signals from the computer based on the decisions made. One motor will control the speed and braking of the vehicle, while the other motor will control the steering. Working together, these parts provide information from the surroundings which allows the vehicle to make informed decisions in real time, in order to avoid obstacles.