Design of a Mi-Autonomous Vehicle for Smart Mobility Solutions

Road accidents account for significant fatalities and injuries, underscoring the critical importance of transportation safety as many victims are left with life-long disabilities. A significant proportion of these road accidents are attributed to human errors and negligence, especially those caused by drunk drivers. Autonomous Vehicles (AV) technology also know has self-driving cars has potential to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of the transportation and logistics industry thereby reducing road accidents and decongesting roads by improving traffic flow. This project proposes the design, development, and evaluation of an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) prototype aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost, compact automation for indoor and controlled outdoor environments. The vehicle uses an ultrasonic sensor for real-time obstacle detection, with a microcontroller (ESP32)-based control system to execute navigation and collision avoidance maneuvers. A modular architecture was implemented, incorporating sensor data processing, path planning, and control algorithms to ensure responsive and adaptive vehicle behavior. Both simulation and field tests were conducted to validate system performance, with results indicating reliable obstacle detection, effective trajectory tracking, and robust control response under various operating conditions. The successful realization of this mini autonomous vehicle project not only underscores the potential of accessible, cost-effective autonomous systems but also provides a solid foundation for future enhancements and applications in small-scale robotics.