Back in 2011, DLR researchers had the idea ofmerging technology from Mars and lunar rovers into new e-mobility solutions for terrestrial road traffic. The result was a vehicle that, at first glance, looks like the legendary BMW. A clever re-import – and an experimental platform par excellence.
Researchers at the Robotics and Mechatronics Center (RMC) have been working for a full decade with their ROboMObil, or ROMO for short, to translate experiences and new developments from space exploration into the demands of everyday road traffic. This has resulted in one of the world's first robotic electric vehicles, developed in Oberpfaffenhofen. It can drive autonomously, rotate on its own axis, and move sideways or diagonally. Parking in tight spaces becomes child's play. Above all, ROMO serves as an experimental platform for developing new technologies that will make vehicles extremely maneuverable or safe when using artificial intelligence (AI).
The streamlined, futuristic design initially met with mixed reactions from car enthusiasts. However, at its first international appearance at the 2012 ILA Berlin Air Show, the two-seater quickly became a crowd favorite. That same year, the team also received professional recognition. The ROboMObil was awarded the eCarTec Award for Electromobility as the "most significant product vision in electromobility."
The ROboMObil can be steered by a person inside the vehicle using a sidestick or remotely controlled via the same sidestick. Fully autonomous driving is also possible. Its 18 cameras capture the surroundings in a 360-degree view. This allows ROMO to navigate independently in unfamiliar environments, even without a map. The scientists originally developed this concept for autonomous driving for space robotics. The algorithms of the RMC, say the DLR engineers, are now used in the intelligent driver assistance systems of leading automotive manufacturers.
Project manager Jonathan Brembeck firsthand atthe DLR Institute of System Dynamics and Control how an idea on paper became a unique, road-legal vehicle. Only the steering wasn't quite optimal yet. A heart-pounding moment. "With just a few adjustments, we were able to fine-tune the settings, and then the ROboMObil drove as desired – it was an incredible feeling," the scientist recounts.
The vehicle's core design also originates from space research: Each of the four wheels is equipped with drive, steering, damping, and brakes. These so-called wheel robots are coordinated by an intelligent central control unit, allowing the vehicle to move in all directions. ROMO is also the first robotic electric vehicle with a "by-wire" central control unit: The wheel robots are controlled via electrical wires without any mechanical coupling. A conventional steering wheel is no longer needed.
Due to the pandemic, it will be some time before the next test drive. From now on, everyone can embark on a virtual discovery tour of ROMO: A blog portal with videos, images, and scientific documents provides insights into more than ten years of research. Visitors can follow the manufacturing steps along a timeline, witness the first test drive, and accompany ROMO at various events.
Photos: DLR
Since its first research drive in 2011, the DLR's robotic electric vehicle has made valuable contributions as a technology demonstrator. It has already been used for a wide range of research topics, from optimized vehicle dynamics control to the development of energy management concepts.
In the future, will focus more on highly automated battery-electric vehicles. To this end, the engineers , among other things, AI-supported methods for control and system diagnostics tasks. In the coming years, plan to develop cloud-based approaches to utilize even larger datasets and more complex control architectures.
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