EcoCAR Mobility Challenge is an Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition between 12 schools across North America.
We are applying advanced propulsion systems, connected & automated vehicle technology to improve energy efficiency, safety and consumer appeal of the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer - specifically for the carsharing market.
Team - Propulsion Systems Integration
Role - Project Lead for LV Electronics
Propulsion Systems Integration is a large team consisting of Electrical & Mechanical engineers that design and integrate all subsystems for moving the vehicle forward.
The Low Voltage Electronics in the car enable energy efficient communication between the stock vehicle and the additional low voltage systems (sensors, cameras, radars, computers, cooling technologies etc).
What is my role as the LV project lead?
Understanding project deliverables & reducing them to actionable tasks that can be delegated across the team.
Working with other project leads and EcoCAR members to source relevant information & help complete LV team deliverables.
Building relationships with team members & motivating them to do the work they find rewarding.
What have I done in the LV team so far?
Power all the LV systems connected to the vehicle
using mVECs as CAN controlled relays to control components that need to be powered,
safely powering components using appropriate fuses and wire sizes,
creating LV harnesses to run across the car,
ordering the right components including mVECS, different guage wires, junction boxes, fuses, pins to name a few,
creating & updating LV schematics using VeSys.
Carry out the Engine Swap Process for LV connections
We have modified the stock blazer to have an electric motor and 2.0L Turbo 4-cylinder engine from the 2020 Equinox which replaces the 3.6L V6 Engine of the 2019 Blazer.
mapped the Equninox Engine Harness pins to the Blazer Body,
mapped the Equninox Fuse pins to the Blazer Body,
ordered intermediary connectors for connecting wires coming from the Equniox engine to the Blazer connector for easy connection to the Blazer Body.
faking voltage signals for the non-matching pins.
How is it working as a project lead for the LV team?
Having spent more than a year at UW EcoCAR, I have become comfortable with the ambiguity that comes along with innovation and creativity. Staying optimistic, dealing with stress, facing challenges and looking at the bigger picture are some skills UW EcoCAR has taught me.
Transitioning into a role, where I would have to be ready to answer questions from curious engineers, lead the team, stay on top of dealines and make sure that we don’t compromise on quality is something that was challenging but felt extremely rewarding and exciting at the same time. I felt more invested in the final outcome of the product as my ownership of work grew.
