FORD THINK NEIGHBOR
The Story
An ongoing project in the MVTHS Robotics & Engineering shop is this Ford Think Neighbor. Three of these non-functional vehicles were donated to our shop and sat outside for 20+ years. The generational goal has been to make them fully autonomous…
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Automated Steering System
Our addition of a high torque motor to the steering rack changed our approach to the project significantly. It allowed us to explore the possibilities of software controlled steering via code and AI.
Driving with AI
We are experimenting with a few different approaches to autonomous driving on the Ford Think Neighbor, including YOLO (Computer Vision), SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (LiDAR)), and GPS.
The Automation of The Brakes
The hydraulic brakes on the golf cart are harder to interact with electronically. Our strategy includes using a linear actator to move the pedal manually.
The Endeavor for Better Batteries
Throughout our time working with this vehicle, the Ford Think Neighbor has seen several iterations of power sources. Starting from lead acid batteries, we have since moved to LiFePO4 batteries.