1
Three Ultrasonic Sensors
Measured forward and lateral obstacle distances to support real-time steering decisions.
Embedded Systems Project
Autonomous
Arduino Race Car
A speed-focused autonomous vehicle developed to navigate an obstacle course using sensor feedback, servo steering, and bidirectional motor control.
Second Place
Final autonomous race-car configuration
Duration
4 Weeks
Competition
University Race
Contribution
Programming & Electronics
Result
Second Place
The Objective
Engineering Challenge
Design and program an autonomous vehicle capable of navigating an obstacle course at competitive speed while avoiding collisions through sensor feedback and real-time steering corrections.
The design needed to combine obstacle detection, steering, propulsion, and reverse recovery into one reliable control system.
My Contribution
Programming and Integration
- ●Developed and refined the autonomous steering and recovery logic.
- ●Integrated ultrasonic and infrared sensors with the Arduino control system.
- ●Tested sensor behavior and helped isolate unreliable hardware.
- ●Tuned steering response and motor behavior through repeated course testing.
System Design
Control Architecture
Environmental data was collected by the sensors, interpreted by the Arduino, and converted into steering and motor-control commands.
2
Servo Steering
Actuated the front steering mechanism based on sensor feedback from the Arduino.
3
H-Bridge Motor Control
Allowed the rear drive motors to move forward or reverse during navigation and recovery.
4
Infrared Sensor
Supported reverse behavior when the vehicle encountered an obstacle or became trapped.
Sensors→Arduino Control Logic→Servo Steering+Motor Control
Primary Technical Challenge
Resolving Unreliable Sensor Readings
The ultrasonic sensors initially produced inconsistent measurements. Because the symptoms could have originated from the wiring, hardware, timing, or control logic, the problem required an iterative troubleshooting process.
STEP 01
Identify inconsistent behavior
Initial testing produced unreliable ultrasonic readings, causing incorrect steering decisions and unstable navigation.
STEP 02
Separate software and hardware causes
We reviewed the control logic, checked wiring, and tested each sensor individually rather than assuming the code was the only issue.
STEP 03
Replace unreliable components
Multiple ultrasonic sensors were replaced and retested until the hardware produced dependable distance measurements.
STEP 04
Tune and validate the complete system
The steering and reverse logic were refined through repeated course testing until the vehicle could navigate consistently at competition speed.
Development Gallery
From Assembly to Competition
Demonstration
Testing and Competition
These videos document obstacle-avoidance testing and the vehicle’s successful competition finish.
Obstacle-Avoidance Test
Validation of autonomous steering, obstacle detection, and sensor response under realistic course conditions.
Competition Finish
The completed vehicle successfully finished the autonomous race and earned second place.
Final Result
2ndPlace
Autonomous Speed Competition
Competition Placement
The vehicle successfully completed the autonomous course after resolving its sensor and integration issues.
Reflection
Lessons Learned
Troubleshoot systematically
Testing components individually made it possible to separate faulty hardware from errors in the control logic.
Component quality affects development time
Inconsistent low-cost sensors increased debugging time and made it more difficult to separate hardware failures from software problems. More reliable components would improve repeatability and reduce unnecessary troubleshooting.
Wheel selection must match the operating surface
The wheels provided limited traction on the smooth competition floor, reducing acceleration, steering accuracy, and stability. A future design should validate wheel material, tread, and grip on the actual operating surface.
Reliable power delivery is essential
The AA battery configuration did not provide sufficiently consistent power for the combined motor, sensor, and control-system demands. A rechargeable battery pack selected for the required voltage, current capacity, runtime, and weight would improve reliability.
Integration determines performance
Functional sensors, motors, and code were not enough individually. The complete system required repeated testing and tuning under realistic operating conditions.
Reliability matters as much as speed
Consistently completing the course was more valuable than maximizing speed with unstable sensing, poor traction, or unreliable power delivery.
Technical Documentation
Arduino Race Car Report
View the complete project report for additional information on the vehicle, control system, testing, and final results.