Development of an Autonomous Battery Electric Vehicle

Autonomous vehicles have been shown to increase safety for drivers, passengers and pedestrians and can also be used to maximize traffic flow, thereby reducing emissions and congestion. At the same time, governments around the world are promoting the usage of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) to reduce and control the emissions of CO2. This has made the development of autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles a very active research area and has prompted a significant amount of government funding. This paper presents the detailed design of a low-cost platform for the development of an autonomous electric vehicle. In particular, it focuses on the design of the electrical architecture and the control strategy, tailored around the usage of affordable sensors and actuators. The specifications of the components are extensively discussed in relation to the performance target. The aim is to provide a comprehensive guide for the development of the remotely controlled platform, in order to lower the entry barrier for the development of autonomous electric vehicles.