Team project / Autonomous robotics

Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC)

An autonomous ground vehicle project built by a rookie team of three, with a tight budget and no faculty or mentor assistance.

The challenge

Design a fully autonomous ground vehicle capable of traversing inclines, making sharp turns, and avoiding obstacles. We were a rookie team with no prior experience or established resources, no faculty or mentor help, and a tight budget.

The approach

We researched previous competition winners and used their successful designs to guide our own decisions. To keep the build as affordable as possible, we used materials and components already on hand wherever we could.

My contribution

I led a team of three, including myself. I established the overall timeline, set smaller deadlines, and assigned work to keep us on track. I fully designed the drive system, helped with the other subsystems, and assisted with chassis assembly.

The outcome

We completed the CAD design ahead of our own deadline. The robot went on to compete in the 2026 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition.

Engineering decisions

Problems & solutions.

Reducing the turning footprint

Problem

Robots frequently clipped obstacles with their rear corners during turns, where sensor coverage was weakest.

Solution

I cut back all four chassis corners to reduce the area swept by the robot as it turned, keeping the rear corners closer to the robot’s center.

Balancing speed and climbing torque

Problem

Keep the vehicle below the 5 mph speed limit while providing enough torque to climb inclines.

Solution

I selected gearbox reductions to increase wheel torque on inclines and keep the motors in an efficient operating range without exceeding the speed limit.