Tech Specs and a Look ‘Under the Hood’ of UVA’s Racecar
Yes, the University of Virginia has a racecar. And no, you can't drive it. It's operated by artificial intelligence. But the real intelligence comes from the students whose minds make it go. Learn about the car, what's under the hood and how UVA customizes its programming.
UVA's autonomous racecar is something to behold. On a white swath from front to back, major tech sponsors signal their support for Cavalier Autonomous Racing. The car is flanked on either side by UVA-orange side panels adorned with Virginia’s familiar varsity-styled "V," with additional flourishes of the school’s purple-tinted competitive blue.
But in terms of the parts and mechanics underneath, Indy Autonomous cars are all alike.
Indy Autonomous Specs
In terms of its physicality, the UVA car is truly custom only in its paint job. Indy Autonomous cars have the same body so that no team has an unfair physical advantage — because what’s important is the cars' minds.
The modified Dallara-produced AV-24 cars, the latest upgrade, have a sculptured carbon chassis, wishbone suspension and Bridgestone tires. Adjustable flaps on the front of the car and wings at the rear enhance the vehicle’s aerodynamics.
The latest upgrade includes new sensors and enhanced capabilities for executing precise maneuvers at even higher speeds.
Under the hood, the cars have a 488-horsepower, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
“The latest upgrade includes new sensors and enhanced capabilities for executing precise maneuvers at even higher speeds,” said professor Madhur Behl, team adviser to Cavalier Autonomous Racing.
The AV-24 improves upon the car's original (AV-21) specs:
Dallara AV-24 Specifications
|
What Makes UVA’s Car Special
While all of the car electronics are built with dSpace AUTERA AutoBox vehicle data logging systems, Intel Xeon central processing units, Nvidia A5000 graphic processing units and 14TB storage, here’s what UVA has to enhance its competitive advantage: its students. Their brain power goes into every adjustment, building on the advances of each successive year's team.
Go Ahead... Take a Closer Look!
Check out the original YouTube documentary series, view the latest action-filled photo galleries at CAR's development website, and learn more about the cars in general at the Indy Autonomous Challenge hub.
