Exploring michigan's solar continuum

A LOOK BACK AT THE WINNING CAR'S SOLAR ENERGY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY REVEALS THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF SOFTWARE TOOLS IN THE SUCCESS.

THE EARLIEST SOLAR CAR race dates back to the late 1980s. Although each successive event's route and regulations differed, the main idea never changed: design, build, test, and race a solar-powered vehicle.

Continuum, the ninth-generation solar car built by University of Michigan students, was the fifth Michigan solar car to place first in the North American Solar Challenge (NASC). The energy-management strategy inspired by dynamic programming was the difference that allowed Continuum to place first in the most recent event by an unheard-of 10 h.