Cost
The cost of the AEV is $151,294. This number includes parts to make the AEV and to assemble it. Between the two runs, the average cost for the final performance test was $485,490.79. If you combine the cost of the AEV and the cost of the performance test, the grand total cost will be $636,784.79. There are potentially ways to cut costs of the AEV, however Team M did not have enough time to explore these areas.
Energy
The average energy usage for one run during the final performance testing was 329.3 J. This may be a little higher than other team’s energy consumption but this was due to the fact that we decided to use power breaking. Overall, using the energy for power breaking was worth it because it allowed the code to be more consistent for testing. When going down hills, we also decreased the power use in order to conserve energy.
Design
The final design was created after multiple trials of testing different configurations of motors, wheel location and battery placement. The team decided to move the motors out about an half inch. When compared to the standard motor configuration listed in the Preliminary R&D Guide, the new motor configuration increased the distance the AEV traveled by about one foot when they were ran at the same power and same time interval. The wheels are also placed as far apart as possible in order to increase stability of the AEV and to evenly distribute the weight.
Safety
The safety of our customers is the number one priority and was one of the biggest factors when completing the AEV testing. In order to ensure the comfort of our clients, Team M used power breaking so the vehicle will come to a stop at an efficient, fast stop while still being comfortable. The team considered testing a servo motor, however safety become a big problem due to the abrupt stopping. During testing, Team M had zero safety violations and all the rules were followed.