TU Delft's Nuon Solar Team last week presented Nuna9S, the new, intelligent solar car that will compete in the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa in September. In Safaripark Beekse Bergen, the team tested a specially developed proprietary radar that allows the solar car to adapt to the different conditions it will face in South Africa.
In South Africa, the conditions for driving a solar car are quite challenging. Not only are there mountains and valleys, grassland and desert, modern highways and dusty, unpaved roads, but also wild animals. To cope with these different conditions, the students spent the past months working on the world's smartest solar car, Nuna9S. Through an innovative radar, the car adapts its driving behaviour to its environment to drive as safely and sustainably as possible. Recognising cars, motorcyclists and slopes has already been extensively tested, and route data allows Nuna9S to look ahead for hills on its route and adjust its power and speed accordingly. This allows this intelligent solar car from TU Delft to drive as energy-efficiently as possible through the South African mountain landscapes.
Last check
Before the TU Delft students build their innovative radar into the latest solar car Nuna9S, it is first carefully tested on one of their previous cars. As a final check, the students tested on Tuesday 24 July in Safaripark Beekse Bergen how the radar reacts to animals they might encounter in South Africa. After this final test, this last and most important part of Nuna9S could be built into the car.
Before the radar was fitted ín Nuna9S, it was tested on the previous solar car amid South African animals. The radar is mounted on the nose of the car.
Jan Terlouw places radar
The well-known former politician, author and ambassador of the Nuon Solar Team, Jan Terlouw, symbolically installed the radar in the new car especially for the occasion and spoke a few words about the importance of sustainability, innovation and ambitions of younger generations. Terlouw is a staunch advocate of a sustainable society.
Sasol Solar Challenge
TU Delft's Nuon Solar Team will compete in the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa from 22 to 29 September 2018. In doing so, the team will not only show how to drive without using fossil fuels, but also how cars can become more fuel efficient and safer. The race will take them from Pretoria to Stellenbosch over a distance of more than 4,500 km in eight days.
Source: TU Delft
Photos: Jan Willem de Venster.
