Elefant Racing e.v.

Review of a Successful Year 2023: Eurocircuits and Elefant Racing e.V.

The past year was an exciting and successful one for Eurocircuits and Elefant Racing e.V., characterized by innovation and teamwork. Elefant Racing e.V., the renowned team from the University of Bayreuth, once again demonstrated its skills and expertise by developing the “FR23 Freya,” a racing car that can be controlled both by drivers and autonomously, i.e., without a driver. This ambitious project could only be realized through the collaboration of 40 dedicated members and the support of Eurocircuits.

One of the most significant developments of the year was the advancement of the self-developed LLC isolated half-bridge DCDC converter, capable of delivering up to 1500W peak power for the “Driverless Computer Unit” and electronic steering. Additionally, it boasts an efficiency of up to 97% with a weight of 400g and a nominal frequency of 170kHz. This converter transforms the traction voltage of 600V into a stable 24V low voltage. The precision in manufacturing the boards is crucial here to avoid voltage breakdowns that could endanger the driver and others.

The Brake System Plausibility Device (BSPD) ensures the safety of the vehicle by shutting down the car if both the accelerator and brake pedals are pressed simultaneously, which is considered an error for regulatory reasons.

The board computer of the FR23 remains based on the fourth-generation Raspberry Pi. A dedicated board was developed for this, which is plugged into the Raspberry Pi and includes an additional powerful microcontroller.

In the FR23, sensors are captured using sensor nodes, which then transmit the data to the board computer via the CAN protocol. These sensor nodes capture various signals, such as analog values of the accelerator pedal position and brake pressure. The latter is crucial for the functionality of the plausibility device in the brake system (BSPD).

Also crucial is the Tractive System Active Light Control board, which monitors the power relay states and monitors the state of the high-voltage system.

All of these successes and innovations would not have been possible without the reliable and high-quality board manufacturing from Eurocircuits. The entire team of Elefant Racing e.V. is extremely grateful for Eurocircuits’ support.

The year 2023 marked an advancement for the team and its self-developed racing car. With a 3rd place in the Acceleration Event at FS Czech and reaching the finals in the “Cost” and “Business Plan” categories, the team has proven that it is on the right track and continuously improving.

We are looking forward to the upcoming challenges and developments and anticipate another successful collaboration between Elefant Racing e.V. and Eurocircuits in 2024. Stay tuned!