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Ingersol Rand drill
Some construction and mining vehicles, like this automated Ingersol Rand drill (pictured above), use a combination of mechanical, electronic, and hydraulic systems to control basic vehicle functions.
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You’re on your way to your car to run some errands. Think for a moment about what needs to be in place for you to achieve your errands. You need 1) to know where you’re going and plan a path to get there, 2) a way to control the car—usually your hands and feet, and 3) to safely react to any variables that you encounter along the way.

From an ATV to a massive mining truck, automating any vehicle requires that each of these elements be addressed. The following article will help you understand the hardware and software technologies we use to address 1, 2, and 3 in the process of creating an autonomous vehicle.

Planning a Path
When we drive a car, we usually stitch together a path based on a set of memories which include possible routes, road construction, or rush hour traffic. Path planning happens in just a few seconds.
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Robots must rely on other technologies to develop their plan. For example, using special software, a user draws a set of way points on a map for the vehicle to follow. A GPS antenna placed on top of the vehicle then tracks its position and makes sure that it does not wander off the path.

More advanced software can help users create complex vehicle paths that include additional tasks—such as picking up objects, load dumping, or activating cameras—that vehicles must perform at specific locations.

Controlling the Vehicle
In lieu of hands and feet, users need to have a way to control the basic functions of a vehicle: start/stop, acceleration, brake, transmission, and steering.
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Vehicle control systems come in three varieties. Some vehicles are mechanical, meaning pedals, steering wheels, and ignition mechanisms are directly connected to the corresponding mechanism in the vehicle. Other vehicles are “by-wire,” meaning pedals and wheels give off electronic signals rather than change something mechanically.

The final way vehicles are controlled is hydraulics. Because of the loads they handle, mining and construction vehicles generally use some level of hydraulics. Controlling a vehicle may involve one or a combination of these control methods.
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To automate a mechanical vehicle, we generally install mechanical actuators that push on the brake, steering, acceleration, etc. For by-wire vehicles, our on-board computer sends electrical signals that mirror messages the vehicle would normally receive from the vehicle controls, causing the vehicle to react as though those controls had been activated. In hydraulic vehicles, our technicians install a duplicate valve bank that bypasses the original, allowing us full control of the hydraulic system.

The process that identifies which of these technologies to use is called vehicle characterization and may take anywhere from a day to several weeks to complete.
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Reacting to Variables
GPS technology can only monitor how well a vehicle stays on path and cannot see potential obstacles. Robotic vehicles need a way to “see” ahead and scan for road hazards.

We commonly use sensor technologies like LiDAR or radar in an obstacle detection system. These sensors can identify potential hazards around a vehicle both day and night. By combining the sensor data and the GPS map, the on-board computer can tell where an object is and if it will interfere with the vehicle’s path. In more advanced systems, the on-board computer can even plan a new path that will take a vehicle safely around an obstacle.
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Communication
Unlike when we drive a vehicle, the human operator connects remotely to a robotic vehicle and needs a reliable way to send commands and receive critical vehicle health information. The most common method for this type of communication is radio.

With a way to send commands, control the vehicle’s functions, plan a path, and react to obstacles, you’re ready to start exploring the cost savings and safety benefits of vehicle automation! To learn more, submit a description of your project, and an ASI representative will contact you shortly.
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