System architecture of a four-wheel drive Formula Student vehicle

TL;DR

This paper details the system architecture of an electric Formula Student vehicle, focusing on hardware, software integration, and model-based development processes for complex electric drivetrains.

Contribution

It provides a structured overview of the vehicle's architecture, including hardware components, communication systems, and the model-based development approach.

Findings

Description of four-wheel drive in-hub motors topology

Diagrams of hardware and communication systems

Overview of model-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop processes

Abstract

Formula Student vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, especially with the current shift from internal combustion engines toward electric powertrains. The interaction between software and hardware is complex and imposes additional challenges for systems integration. This paper provides a structured introduction to the OBR22 Oxford Brookes Racing Formula Student electric vehicle. From a system architecture perspective, the four-wheel drive in-hub motors topology is described. Diagrams of the hardware components, the architecture of the high voltage and communication systems are presented. This paper also demonstrates the model-based development process, including an overview of the model-in-the-loop (MiL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) control design phases.