Autonomous vehicle sensors don’t have to be a drag, find researchers [Video]

Thanks to the rapid progress of information technology and artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicle technology has been taking off. In fact, AVs are now advanced enough that they are being used for logistics delivery and low-speed public transportation.

While most research has focused on control algorithms to heighten autonomous vehicle safety, less attention has been directed at improving aerodynamic performance, which is essential for lowering energy consumption and extending driving range. As a result, aerodynamic drag issues have been preventing self-driving vehicles from keeping pace with regular vehicle acceleration.

In Physics of Fluids, from AIP Publishing, researchers from Wuhan University of Technology in Wuhan, China, focused on enhancing the aerodynamic performance of AVs. Their goal was to reduce drag from externally mounted sensors such as cameras and lidar instruments, which are necessary for AV functionality.

“Externally mounted sensors significantly increase aerodynamic drag, particularly by increasing the proportion of interference drag within the total aerodynamic …