The CSU Vehicle Innovation Team[1] brought their Aggie Orange Camaro with them to Milford, Michigan and Washington, D.C. May 14-25 to participate in the EcoCAR 3[2] Year Three Competition. Among their many achievements throughout the competition: receiving the Dr. Donald Streit Sportsmanship Award, for the team that offered the highest level of assistance and support to other teams and organizers despite their own circumstances.

The CSU team offered support to other teams in the form of spare parts, technical assistance, and help and feedback on competition presentations. They were voted on by the other 16 schools in attendance to be the most deserving of the award.

The team earned multiple top-eight finishes in competition deliverables, presentations, and other events including:

• 3rd Place Project Management Presentation – Jamison Bair
• 4th Place Vehicle Design Review Presentation – Bradley Nelson, David Baker, Jamison Bair
• 4th Place Communications Presentation – Bradley Nelson, Jamison Bair
• 4th Place ADAS Vision Check – Jordan Tunell
• 4th Place Vehicle Safety Binder – Team deliverable
• 4th Place PM Execution Plan – PM deliverable
• 5th Place Electrical and Computer Engineering Presentation – Jordan Tunell
• 6th Place ADAS System Evaluation – Jordan Tunell
• 6th Place ECE Fall Swimlane Report – Team deliverable
• 7th Place Communications Plan – Team deliverable
• 7th Place Innovation Report – Team deliverable
• 8th Place Controls and SMS Presentation – Tanner Griffin, David Baker

Earning several of these placements was the team’s participation in the competition presentations held in Washington, D.C. during the last portion of the trip. Two team members in each category presented the technical work they performed this year.

The mechanical presentation focused largely on a carbon fiber composite front anti-roll bar that was designed and integrated by the students. The electrical and computer engineering presentation highlighted energy consumption in the vehicle and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) computer vision development. The controls and system modeling and simulation presentation covered vehicle controls logic and simulation results from Simulink models of the vehicle. Finally, the innovation presentation explored increasing fuel economy by running a combustion engine at higher temperatures using a high-temperature coolant.

Additional presentations included a project status update given by the team’s project manager, Jamison Bair, and an update on communications efforts and outreach given by the team’s communications manager Bradley Nelson.

The team placed 11th overall, and successfully drove nearly 80 miles during preliminary Shakedown testing. The CSU vehicle also passed the On-Road Safety Event on its first attempt, meaning the Camaro was capable of safely performing necessary braking, acceleration, and high-speed handling maneuvers.

Following the On-Road Safety Event, the CSU vehicle experienced a transmission component failure and was unable to compete in any of the scored dynamic events at the General Motors Milford Proving Ground, limiting the team’s overall competition score.

Local sponsors of CSU EcoCAR 3 include Keysight Technologies in Loveland, Honda Research and Development America in Denver, and HP in Fort Collins.