Vehicle Automation Kit
Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) provides high quality, cost-effective solutions for automating more than 50 different types of vehicles. The vehicle automation kit (VAK) uses several automation methods to control an unmanned vehicle, including: OEM interface/signal emulation, integrated electrical systems/CAN bus, hydraulic interface, or mechanical actuation.
With mature, effective algorithms and proven safety, redundancy, path tracking, error checking, and health monitoring, Autonomous Solutions, Inc. provides the best quality of unmanned vehicle performance for an affordable price.
The preferred method of automating most vehicles is, wherever possible, to communicate with the vehicle computer directly via the OEM CAN bus system. This eliminates installation, the potential of mechanical failure, computer language issues, and more. In most consumer vehicles, complete automation through the CAN bus system is not possible, some functions such as transmission, ignition, instrumentation, and throttle can normally be controlled electronically without having to mechanically simulate human movements.
Features
With mature, effective algorithms and proven safety, redundancy, path tracking, error checking, and health monitoring, ASI provides the best quality of unmanned vehicle performance for an affordable price.
Universal Components
“The ASI kits are awesome,
and they’ve been carrying
the full on-range training
load since we completed the
contract many years ago.”
— ASI customer using the VAK to
automate military target vehicles
“The ASI kits are awesome,
and they’ve been carrying
the full on-range training
load since we completed the
contract many years ago.”
— ASI customer using the VAK to
automate military target vehicles
The VAK is comprised of a set of universal components including an on-board computer; steering, acceleration, braking, transmission, and ignition controls; radio transmitter/receiver; GPS receiver; video equipment; and more. The universal nature of these components allows one kit to be used for multiple vehicles.
Whether using mechanical actuators to control the vehicle or tapping electronically into the vehicle’s CAN Bus system, the vehicle automation kit is designed to control the vehicle in the same way as a human test driver would.
Accuracy and Repeatability
ASI’s Vehicle Automation Kit mimics the movements of a human driver, but does so with the precision of a computer. Testing scenarios can be run to nearly exact specifications enabling testers to isolate specific variables such as speed, steering degrees, multi-vehicle coordination, and more.
Because the testing scenarios are managed by ASI’s Mobius™ Command and Control Software solution, operators can not only run test scenarios with great precisions but can also repeat testing conditions. Repeatability enables testers to establish critical baselines (controls) and then test against them, validating results to a degree not possible with human test drivers.
Safety
One of the primary drivers behind vehicle testing is the safety of consumers which includes the safety of test drivers. Durability test drivers are required to driver over incredibly bumpy and jarring terrain for hours over an extended period of time. Some Federally-required tests (such as rollovers, high speed, fish hook, and others) are impossible to do with a human driver and proving grounds are relegated to rollover ramps, or other less-authentic methods to get the required data.
Vehicle automation removes human drivers from scenarios that are detrimental to health while still enabling testers to gather accurate, valid results. This is a significant competitive advantage that many automotive OEMs are adopting now.
VAK In The News
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ASI Delivers Two Autonomous Target Vehicles to Luke AFBAutonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a developer and manufacturer of autonomous vehicle systems, today announced final delivery and acceptance of two unmanned target vehicles to the U.S. Air Force Range Management Office at Luke Air Force Base. |
