Mason White’s Comps Presentation
Friday, February 19th
3:30 pm in Olin 141
The Physics of Self Driving Cars
Automobiles have been the primary means of daily transportation for over a century. They help us get to work, school, and the grocery store, and are virtually ubiquitous in today’s society. Many think the next step for the automobile, is the autonomous, or self-driving car. This car incorporates GPS navigation and lidar systems in order to navigate the road – without a driver. We will how such a car works from the ground up. We begin by examining the physics behind the combustion engine, looking at how this engine works, as well as the theoretical efficiency. Then we examine how the incorporation of an electric motor (the hybrid car) can improve the fuel efficiency of an automobile. Finally, we look at how a lidar system attached to a car can allow the car to autonomously navigate the roads.