X-CAR: An Experimental Vehicle Platform for Connected Autonomy Research Powered by CARMA

TL;DR

This paper introduces X-CAR, an adaptable experimental vehicle platform that enhances the CARMA system with affordable hardware to promote research and development in connected autonomous driving.

Contribution

It presents X-CAR, a new implementation of the CARMA platform on cost-effective hardware, expanding its accessibility for connected vehicle research.

Findings

X-CAR increases platform versatility and affordability.

It facilitates broader adoption of connected autonomous vehicle research.

Supports development of connected driving automation.

Abstract

Autonomous vehicles promise a future with a safer, cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable transportation system. However, the current approach to autonomy has focused on building small, disparate intelligences that are closed off to the rest of the world. Vehicle connectivity has been proposed as a solution, relying on a vision of the future where a mix of connected autonomous and human-driven vehicles populate the road. Developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration as a reusable, extensible platform for controlling connected autonomous vehicles, the CARMA Platform is one of the technologies enabling this connected future. Nevertheless, the adoption of the CARMA Platform has been slow, with a contributing factor being the limited, expensive, and relatively old vehicle configurations that are officially supported. To alleviate this problem, we propose X-CAR (eXperimental vehicle platform for Connected Autonomy Research). By implementing the CARMA Platform on more affordable, high quality hardware, X-CAR aims to increase the versatility of the CARMA Platform and facilitate its adoption for research and development of connected driving automation.