503: Formula 1/10th

We wanted to develop a chassis for a 1/10th scale self-driving racecar. We developed the chassis (frame) to package and protect various autonomous driving components. The components consisted of a depth sensing camera, a LiDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging) sensor, a computer which controls the car through a motor, a speed controller and a servo motor to steer the car. The frame also needed clearly defined metrics that affect how the car moves. The most important metrics were the center of gravity and moment of inertia.

One project goal was to protect the self-driving components in case of a collision. In the F1TENTH competition, the may can collide with the track borders or with other racecars on the track. The borders are made from plastic air ducts that can move in case of a collision. The competition also consists of a head-to-head race. For this, the frame needed to survive a collision with another car. However, autonomous collision avoidance was outside of the scope for the project. We designed the frame for a 70-mph impact survival tolerance. This only feasible if the car leaves the racing area but collisions in normal operation would not damage the vehicle frame.

Another goal was to limit the weight and height of the car for handling purposes. Limiting weight allowed the car to go around corners faster, while limiting height reduced the amount the car tilted outward while going around a corner, which would reduce traction. The distribution of the self-driving components was also important to the handling of the car. The placement of these components affected the center of gravity. If the center of gravity was too far off center, it caused one set of wheels to lose traction prematurely. This decreased lap times, which are important for performance in the competition.