Remote-Controlled and Autonomous Electric Vehicle (EV)

University of Zululand, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Richards Bay, 3900

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The emergence of wireless communication, sensing technologies and collision avoidance systems are ushering in the era of autonomous vehicles and revolutionizing today’s transportation. AEVs provide greater safety, lower accident risk, better energy efficiency and environmental effects than traditional IC engines. A dual-mode (Manual and Autonomous) Electric Vehicle (EV) prototype design and implementation using sensor automation, wireless communication and obstacle avoidance control is presented. The system is based on an Arduino Uno microcontroller which is connected to front and rear ultrasonic sensors for real-time obstacle detection. The front sensor is servo mounted, allowing for scanning of the environment between left, centre and right. The control signals generated by the microcontroller control the DC motors by using an L298N motor driver module. The prototype can autonomously navigate in a predefined safety radius of 40 cm by use of a rule-based obstacle avoidance algorithm and remotely supervised by a smartphone application during manual operation. These are verified in the experiments, which show stable manoeuvring, reliable obstacle detection and good propulsion control. The results of the developed prototype validate the feasibility of low-cost electric propulsion in small-scale autonomous platforms and provide a practical educational framework for programming autonomous control, research in smart mobility.