UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN / UMARV / 2024

UMich Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Team

I co-led mechanical development of mARVin, contributing to a drivetrain and chassis redesign that supported a reported 60% power-efficiency improvement and a third-place team finish.

My roleVehicle development co-lead; drivetrain, chassis, and sensor-integration hardware.

Vehicle design
Drivetrain
Chassis CAD
Sensor integration
Technical leadership

The mARVin autonomous vehicle with the team at competition. — mARVin at competition · team vehicle

+60%Reported power efficiency · team result

3rdCompetition finish · team result

IGVCIntelligent Ground Vehicle Competition

01 / ENGINEERING PROBLEM

Build the hardware around the mission

The team needed an autonomous ground vehicle that combined an efficient drivetrain with a chassis capable of carrying its sensing and computing hardware. My focus was the mechanical platform: how it moved, how the hardware fit together, and how the sensors were supported for competition.

02 / METHODS & DEVELOPMENT

Chassis, drivetrain, and sensor integration

Click images to enlarge

Vehicle CAD showing the chassis, drivetrain, and sensor mast. — I contributed to drivetrain and chassis redesign, working through wheel placement, the structural frame, and sensor-support hardware in CAD. These views document different vehicle layouts explored during platform development.

Additional UMARV chassis CAD view showing wheel placement, frame, and sensor supports. — I contributed to drivetrain and chassis redesign, working through wheel placement, the structural frame, and sensor-support hardware in CAD. These views document different vehicle layouts explored during platform development.

Mechanical platform

Drivetrain and chassis development

System integration

Mounting and support for sensors

Team delivery

Integrated vehicle for competition

03 / RESULTS & OUTCOME

A competition-ready team platform

BUILT VEHICLE / TEAM OUTCOMES

+60%Reported improvement in power efficiency

3rd placeCompetition finish

The team reported a 60% improvement in power efficiency and a third-place competition finish. My contribution was the drivetrain, chassis, sensor-support hardware, and coordination of platform development. These are combined team outcomes, rather than isolated measurements of any one component.

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