Facilities
Our algorithms are tested in three stages: co-simulation, a full-size autonomous vehicle, and a USDOT-designated proving ground.
Full-size autonomous vehicle
A retrofitted 7-seat Chrysler Pacifica with drive-by-wire control and a full sensor suite.
Our research vehicle is a full-size autonomous vehicle based at Penn State. It carries LiDAR, radar, GNSS, and cameras, and runs drive-by-wire control so our perception, localization, prediction, and control algorithms can be tested on a real vehicle rather than only in simulation. The software stack integrates Autoware and the CARMA cooperative driving automation platform.
- Base vehicle: Chrysler Pacifica (7-seat), retrofitted
- Sensors: LiDAR, radar, GNSS, cameras
- Control: drive-by-wire
- Software: Autoware, CARMA
- At Penn State since February 2022
What our vehicle sees: LiDAR point cloud with 3D object detection
Autonomous vehicle demo with real-time LiDAR and camera data
Waypoint following on the LTI test track
Drive-by-wire, speed, and steering control demonstration
LTI test track
A full-scale test track designated by USDOT as one of 10 Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds.
The Larson Transportation Institute manages a full-scale test track near the University Park campus. USDOT designated it as one of 10 Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds in the country, which lets us move from simulation to closed-course testing before any public-road trial.
Waypoint following on the LTI test track
Penn State Student Researchers Demo Self-Driving Vehicle with President Neeli Bendapudi
Driving simulator and co-simulation platform
A driving simulator linked to a CARLA–SUMO–Autoware co-simulation suite for cooperative driving research.
Much of our research runs on a CARLA–SUMO co-simulation platform integrated with Autoware and CARMA, connected to a driving simulator. CARLA simulates vehicles and sensors, SUMO simulates surrounding traffic, and Autoware and CARMA run the automation stack, so mixed human–automated traffic and cooperative driving automation can be studied before field testing.
