Florida Polytechnic University shifts into gear on self-driving cars

LAKELAND — As an assistant professor of applied mathematics and a researcher, AJ Alnaser explores such lofty and abstract subjects as algebraic number theory and rational integers.

But even such a serious academic figure as Alnaser is not immune to vehicular allure. Alnaser is one of two professors at Florida Polytechnic University leading the research on autonomous vehicles, using a Ford Fusion that recently arrived on campus.

“Imagine having the biggest toy you’ve ever gotten,” Alnaser said. “Yes, it’s quite exciting.”

Florida Polytechnic’s Advanced Mobility Institute obtained the vehicle through a $350,000 combined grant from the National Science Foundation and the state of Florida. The Lakeland school also used part of the funding to create a simulation facility on campus that will propel research to be applied to the test vehicle.

The white Ford Fusion sedan, adorned with the Florida Poly logo on its hood and doors, arrived equipped with electronics installed by a Michigan company that allow researchers to remotely control its steering, acceleration, braking and other actions. But it is far from being a safely self-driving vehicle at this point, Alnaser said.

“The car is autonomous, minus the brain of the car,” he said. “So the decision-making algorithm that tells the car what to do and gives the car a certain input, right now it’s vacant, and the idea is that we can plug in multiple brains, basically.”

Florida Poly researchers are developing their own algorithm to control the vehicle’s capacity for maneuvering without a driver. Researchers will also be able to plug in software from car manufacturers for testing, Alnaser said.

While Alnaser holds a doctorate in mathematics, the other lead researcher on the project, Onur Toker, has a doctoral degree in electrical engineering. Toker is an associate professor of computer engineering.

Toker said having both a sophisticated simulation facility and an autonomous test vehicle allows Florida Poly to develop its research along two tracks.

“Although the initial NSF proposal was about building simulators, which are economically more attractive compared to doing the actual experiments, right now we have an advanced simulator in our lab, which can simulate different driving scenarios in a lab environment with photorealistic visualization,” Toker said. “But at the same time, we also have a real vehicle equipped with computers and lots of expensive electronic stuff to do the actual testing.”

The professors said the simulator and the car will allow Florida Poly to develop guidance systems for autonomous vehicles and test technology created by private companies.

The Ford Fusion is not yet equipped to function without a driver, but as the researchers and students continue to develop driving programs they will be able to test them in the vehicle on campus.

“Autonomous vehicles have computer systems that you can think of like a child — it needs time to mature, grow, and learn,” Alnaser said in the news release. “Once it learns enough, we have to test it. We have to be able to trust that we can give it a driver’s license and it can drive safely.”