Tests on Driverless TATA Nano in Kochi, India

Dr Roshy John Phd in Robotics,from   National Institute of Technologyin Tiruchirappali, kerala, Practice Head Robotics and Cognitive system, posted a detailed account of how he converted the Tata Nano using simulation-based development and successfully manoeuvred the driverless vehicle through streets of Kochi. He has been granted 17 patents filed in Robotics, consumer electronics and software algorithms.

Dr Roshy John said “My research and career mainly focuses on Robotics, and I am an expert in developing mobile robot, and practice using 3D simulations to simulate a robot concept before prototyping it. After initial research, I decided to take test drives on Tata Nano the smallest and cheapest car in the world. Nano is actually spacious enough to house computers, actuators and sensors. My decision to place pedal robots inside the engine bay and the on board diagnostics data is the only source for the driverless algorithm computers to know the state of the engine. After acquiring sensor datasheets from the sensor manufacturer’s websites and created it inside the stimulator, with the same data protocol and in the connectivity sense. After 8 months simulations, I started inventing and was awarded royalties for patents filed, I was confident to continue my research on real TATA Nano with real sensors. The only drawback was The Nano was manual transmission and my first task was to convert the manual transmission to an automatic one“.