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4.2. RECOMMENDATIONS AND FUTURE WORK CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSIONS
Figure 4.1: Odin taking the checkered flag at the end of the 60 mile DARPA Urban
Challenge [25]
interface.
It appears to be possible to develop an inexpensive retrofit kit that makes use of OEM
systems for vehicle control and implements low-level vehicle control and standard communication algorithms. While effective in low volumes, the centralized controller architecture used in Odin is likely not the optimal choice for a production system. The most
difficult part of the installation of any DBW system is the installation of the hardware and
especially the wiring. From both a cost and a reliability standpoint, it would be desirable
to reduce the number of components and wires to a minimum.
It is recommended that a distributed controller system be developed. This approach
could make use of “smart” RIBs equipped with either microprocessors or Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD) to handle the generation of the control signals at points
local to each of the systems. These smart RIBs could be linked by a digital network,
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