DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF DRIVING ROBOTS FOR CONDUCTING UNMANNED TESTS OF OFF-ROAD VEHICLES

This paper contains descriptions and demonstrations of automated test drivers (ATDs) for several different style off-road vehicles. These robotic ATDs can be used without a human operator, to drive vehicles in scenarios that are unsafe for human drivers. Full-scale vehicle tests including rollovers, pitchovers, and crashes involving Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs), All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), and Zero-Turn Riding Mowers (ZTMs) are included in the paper. The mechanical actuators used to control steering, throttle, and braking differ for the different ATDs. However, they use similar control strategies, network architecture, and electronics. Using these similar items as a starting point would be beneficial for developing ATDs for different styles of military vehicles.

Citation: G. Heydinger, S. Zagorski, D. Andreatta, M. Bartholomew, “Development and Use of Driving Robots for Conducting Unmanned Tests of Off-Road Vehicles,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 15-17, 2023.