{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32385"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32385","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Development of an Automotive Ground Vehicle Platform for Autonomous Urban Operations","abstract":"Autonomous ground vehicle operations, such as those found in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, require a reliable and capable vehicle platform. To meet this requirement, an autonomous ground vehicle platform based on a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid was developed for operations in urban environments. The vehicle conversion, dubbed Odin, contains a drive-by-wire system that is highly integrated with the OEM systems, providing throttle, steering, shifting, and braking actuation. The vehicle also includes a controller that provides low-level longitudinal using a map-linearized PI controller and lateral curvature control using a bicycle model. The control algorithms proved capable of controlling the vehicle at a level acceptable for autonomous operations. Communications are implemented using the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) using custom messages to enhance interoperability potential. The net result is a highly capable autonomous vehicle platform that was validated when Odin successfully completed the 60 mile Urban Challenge.","abstract_html":"Autonomous ground vehicle operations, such as those found in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, require a reliable and capable vehicle platform. To meet this requirement, an autonomous ground vehicle platform based on a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid was developed for operations in urban environments. The vehicle conversion, dubbed Odin, contains a drive-by-wire system that is highly integrated with the OEM systems, providing throttle, steering, shifting, and braking actuation. The vehicle also includes a controller that provides low-level longitudinal using a map-linearized PI controller and lateral curvature control using a bicycle model. The control algorithms proved capable of controlling the vehicle at a level acceptable for autonomous operations. Communications are implemented using the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) using custom messages to enhance interoperability potential. The net result is a highly capable autonomous vehicle platform that was validated when Odin successfully completed the 60 mile Urban Challenge.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Currier, Patrick N."],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Wicks, Alfred L.","Reinholtz, Charles F."],"committee_members":["Hong, Dennis W."],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-04-28","date_published":"2008-04-28","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:57Z","subjects":["Urban Challenge","Autonomous vehicles","Ford Escape"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-05082008-110806"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-05082008-110806","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32385","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Wicks, Alfred L.","Reinholtz, Charles F."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Hong, Dennis W."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Currier, Patrick N."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:35:41Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:35:41Z","2010-12-22"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2008-04-28"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Urban Challenge","Autonomous vehicles","Ford Escape"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-05082008-110806"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32385"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Autonomous ground vehicle operations, such as those found in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, require a reliable and capable vehicle platform. To meet this requirement, an autonomous ground vehicle platform based on a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid was developed for operations in urban environments. The vehicle conversion, dubbed Odin, contains a drive-by-wire system that is highly integrated with the OEM systems, providing throttle, steering, shifting, and braking actuation. The vehicle also includes a controller that provides low-level longitudinal using a map-linearized PI controller and lateral curvature control using a bicycle model. The control algorithms proved capable of controlling the vehicle at a level acceptable for autonomous operations. Communications are implemented using the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) using custom messages to enhance interoperability potential. The net result is a highly capable autonomous vehicle platform that was validated when Odin successfully completed the 60 mile Urban Challenge."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Development of an Automotive Ground Vehicle Platform for Autonomous Urban Operations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Wicks, Alfred L.","Reinholtz, Charles F."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Hong, Dennis W."],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Currier, Patrick N."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:35:41Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:35:41Z","2010-12-22"],"dc:date.issued":["2008-04-28"],"dc:description.abstract":["Autonomous ground vehicle operations, such as those found in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, require a reliable and capable vehicle platform. 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