Freedom Transit Vehicles
Pictured is the Chevy Volt. The Freedom Transit vehicle’s passenger compartment and body style can be any design that fits within the published maximum limits for height, length, width and weight. The vehicles can be configured as passenger cars, sports cars, vans, pickups, and SUV’s whatever style is wanted.
Current Specifications
Maximum Sizes: Tires Specifications:
Length 55 ft Run Flat Tires
Width 8.5 ft Speed Rating v ,w,y, or z
Height 13.6 ft Remote tire pressure sensors
GVW 80,000 lb Remote tire temperature sensors
The electric vehicles are dual mode design, capable of both automated roadway travel and driver controlled street travel. The vehicle is electrically powered with wheel based electrical motors in all four wheels. Each wheel assembly also has a steering motor with automatic camber and toe adjustment for computer coordinated turning radius and alignments. Each wheel assembly has a magnetic suspension / levitation system for high speed travel. The dual mode vehicle is a “drive-by-wire” design in which a set of computers acting in a fault tolerant mode control the speed, braking, steering, wheel alignments, and suspension systems.
Each vehicle also has a power and steering probe on both the left and right side of the vehicle. The probe on the left is used for automated roadway travel and the probe on the right is used for automated roadway merge and exit functions. These probes extend automatically as needed. The right hand probe is retracted while traveling on the automated roadway. During merges and exits the left probe is retracted. Switching between probes is automatic once the entrance or exit process is complete. Briefly both probes will be extended, and switching between them only occurs when a good track as been established. The probes are located in the front of the vehicle just behind and above the bumper assembly.
The combination power connector and steering probe is used to track the power rail and the ground rail. The ground rail is contacted by a wire brush which is always in contact with the ground rail when the power roller is in contact with the power rail. For safety reasons the power rail is recessed behind and below the ground rail. A roller power connector is designed to maintain a set distance from the power rail and to track it. Based on the width of each vehicle a predetermined ideal distance factor is calculated to put the center of the vehicle in the center of the roadway. The steering computer function of the vehicle is then designed to track the power rail and to steer the vehicle to the center of the roadway. Thus, on the roadway, the steering process of the vehicle is automated by tracking either the right or left side power rail. In manual control mode (i.e. off the roadway) both power probes are retracted into the body of the vehicle.
The vehicle control strategy avoids an instability problem by having each vehicle track a control signal. The relative speed and distances of other vehicles is not part of the control strategy except for an oversight safety function in case of malfunctions.
The control strategy is implemented through a multi level functional hierarchy. The first level is the hardware layer and consists of a mechanical connection and tracking of a power and vehicle steering guide rail. The second layer is an electronic communications and basic control function. This layer manages vehicle speed and spacing using virtual slots. The third layer is a logical layer, which through programming logic, controls vehicle movement between second level vehicle control virtual slots.
Current Specifications
Maximum Sizes: Tires Specifications:
Length 55 ft Run Flat Tires
Width 8.5 ft Speed Rating v ,w,y, or z
Height 13.6 ft Remote tire pressure sensors
GVW 80,000 lb Remote tire temperature sensors
The electric vehicles are dual mode design, capable of both automated roadway travel and driver controlled street travel. The vehicle is electrically powered with wheel based electrical motors in all four wheels. Each wheel assembly also has a steering motor with automatic camber and toe adjustment for computer coordinated turning radius and alignments. Each wheel assembly has a magnetic suspension / levitation system for high speed travel. The dual mode vehicle is a “drive-by-wire” design in which a set of computers acting in a fault tolerant mode control the speed, braking, steering, wheel alignments, and suspension systems.
Each vehicle also has a power and steering probe on both the left and right side of the vehicle. The probe on the left is used for automated roadway travel and the probe on the right is used for automated roadway merge and exit functions. These probes extend automatically as needed. The right hand probe is retracted while traveling on the automated roadway. During merges and exits the left probe is retracted. Switching between probes is automatic once the entrance or exit process is complete. Briefly both probes will be extended, and switching between them only occurs when a good track as been established. The probes are located in the front of the vehicle just behind and above the bumper assembly.
The combination power connector and steering probe is used to track the power rail and the ground rail. The ground rail is contacted by a wire brush which is always in contact with the ground rail when the power roller is in contact with the power rail. For safety reasons the power rail is recessed behind and below the ground rail. A roller power connector is designed to maintain a set distance from the power rail and to track it. Based on the width of each vehicle a predetermined ideal distance factor is calculated to put the center of the vehicle in the center of the roadway. The steering computer function of the vehicle is then designed to track the power rail and to steer the vehicle to the center of the roadway. Thus, on the roadway, the steering process of the vehicle is automated by tracking either the right or left side power rail. In manual control mode (i.e. off the roadway) both power probes are retracted into the body of the vehicle.
The vehicle control strategy avoids an instability problem by having each vehicle track a control signal. The relative speed and distances of other vehicles is not part of the control strategy except for an oversight safety function in case of malfunctions.
The control strategy is implemented through a multi level functional hierarchy. The first level is the hardware layer and consists of a mechanical connection and tracking of a power and vehicle steering guide rail. The second layer is an electronic communications and basic control function. This layer manages vehicle speed and spacing using virtual slots. The third layer is a logical layer, which through programming logic, controls vehicle movement between second level vehicle control virtual slots.