The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) Awards ASI with Phase II SBIR contract to continue sensor and vehicle automation study.

Petersboro, Utah December 04, 2013

Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) announces the award of a two-year Phase II Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to continue research on controls and obstacle detection for robotic vehicles. The project, titled "Stability Control Improvement and State Detection for Autonomous Vehicles," will combine a dynamic vehicle model with sensor data to enable a robotically controlled vehicle to avoid obstacles, detect and counter yaw instability, and avoid vehicle rollovers.

"We're very excited to continue the project," said Matt Berkemeier, lead researcher on the SBIR project. "The Phase II involves a lot of controls work, giving us an opportunity to use advanced methods to improve control of all our autonomous vehicles."

Where Phase I involved research and simulations with stereo camera, radar, and LiDAR technology in a laboratory setting, Phase II will expand experiments to include testing on autonomous vehicles in the field. "Our goal is to have a working prototype by the end of year one," said Berkemeier. "We'll then work on modifications during year two."

ASI will receive contributions from Auburn University's GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory (GAVLAB). GAVLAB specializes in vehicle dynamics and non-linear dynamics, both of which play a role in Phase II of the SBIR.

Commercialization is one of the key focuses of the SBIR program, and ASI hopes to have three marketable products at the close of Phase II. "The base level is a simple warning system that can scan and alert a driver of unseen obstacles," explained Berkemeier. "The next level is driver assistance capability, taking over the steering for a driver in order to avoid an accident. The final level takes the steer-and-avoid functionality and applies it to an autonomous vehicle."

The project is currently in Phase I Option status, and Phase II is scheduled to begin in March 2014.

About ASI

For more than 13 years, ASI has been a world leader in unmanned ground vehicle systems and components. From their northern Utah headquarters, ASI serves clients in military, mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and automotive industries with robotic solutions ranging from driver assistance to full, multi-vehicle autonomy. ASI's world-class engineering staff is dedicated to the ideals of innovation, quality, simplicity, and safety.