Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Annual Report 2018 Annual Report | Page 25

DISCOVERY ARTICLES challenge, and object detection and avoidance challenge. environment mapping with complex perception algorithms. “Everyone else at the competition didn’t rely on maps because they figured they could do it entirely with perception,” Cohen said. “But the environment wasn’t as well regulated as they thought.” Because their vehicle could navigate the faded lane lines, Victor Tango AutoDrive was the only team to complete the second, lateral challenge. Over the next two years the car will carry out more complex tasks, such as moving at higher speeds, making U-turns, and dodging a dynamic object. By 2020 the team will produce a level four autonomous vehicle – capable of steering, braking, and responding to traffic without the need for human intervention, according to SAE standards. In year one of the three-year competition teams focused on concept selection by becoming familiar with sensing and computing software. They wrote a concept design, and completed an on-site evaluation with dynamic tasks such as straight roadway driving and object avoidance and detection. The team placed in the top three in each category including first in the lateral challenge and third in social responsibility report, social responsibility presentation, mapping AUTODRIVE TAKES 3RD IN GM COMPETITION 23