Overview
The ORCA simulator lets a driver train on the prototype vehicle without leaving the workshop. An embedded system reads real driver inputs — throttle and steering — and converts them into digital signals. Those signals feed a Simulink vehicle model that simulates everything from aerodynamics to powertrain friction, wind speed, and road incline.
The resulting vehicle state drives an Unreal Engine simulator that projects a 3D environment onto the windscreen, giving the driver an immersive, closed-loop experience that behaves like the real car. The project was submitted to the 2024 Shell Eco-Marathon Data & Telemetry Award.
Highlights
- Embedded system that digitises real throttle and steering inputs in real time.
- Simulink vehicle model covering aerodynamics, powertrain friction, wind speed, and road incline.
- Unreal Engine 3D environment projected onto the windscreen for an immersive drive.
- Closed-loop pipeline from physical inputs to simulated vehicle behaviour to visuals.
- Submitted to the 2024 Shell Eco-Marathon Data & Telemetry Award.
Gallery
The Simulator in Action
The full rig running — driver inputs, the Unreal world on the windscreen, and the loop closing.
Embedded Hardware & Rig
The embedded electronics that read and digitise the driver's throttle and steering.
Simulink Vehicle Model
The Simulink model simulating aerodynamics, friction, wind, and road incline.
At a glance
Team
Poseidon Team
Timeline
Apr 2024 — May 2024
Stack
Unreal Engine · Simulink · Embedded
Recognition
2024 SEM Data & Telemetry Award submission