Design and fabrication of robotic systems : Converting a conventional car to a driverless car

Abstract

Drastic changes in the robotics and intelligent controls brought a radical change in Automotive engineering sector that leads to the driverless vehicles in this new era. For these vehicles to safely run in today's traffic and in harsh environments, a number of problems in vision, navigation, and control have to be solved. Driverless cars use sensors to detect the environment, computers to process the data and actuators for mechanical systems. To adopt the self driving car technology to current academic and research, we need a cost efficient and affordable mechanisms. In this scenario we need a system that can incorporate existing vehicles and convert that driverless cars which will reach to academicians and research fields. Considering the possibilities and implementation of driverless vehicles in Indian scenario we need an agile mechanical design to be included on existing vehicles. This paper proposes a portable mechanical design that can be fabricated and fit into existing vehicles and can be used as a platform to develop an autonomous car. Conventional cars can be altered to be a driverless car by using different actuators. Popularly motors are used as actuators in the automation of the vehicle. A pneumatic system is designed to automate the intended platform apart from the motors. The mechanical structure is an essential part of an autonomous car and is to be altered and designed in such a way that it is dynamically unwavering. Further improvements will make the system capable of being commercially produced.