What is Formula Student?
Formula Student is an international engineering competition that challenges university students to design, build, and race a single-seat formula-style racing car. It's not just about speed – teams are evaluated on various aspects, including engineering design, cost analysis, business presentation, and on-track performance.
The Autonomous Challenge
In recent years, Formula Student has introduced an exciting new category: driverless vehicles. This autonomous competition pushes the boundaries of technology, requiring teams to develop self-driving systems that can navigate complex racetracks at high speeds. It's a perfect blend of traditional motorsport engineering and cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
My Experience with Dynamis PRC
Developer Role (Aug 2019 - Sept 2022)
I joined Dynamis PRC, the Formula Student team from Politecnico di Milano, as a Perception and Path Planning Software Engineer. During this time, I:
- Developed advanced path planning algorithms for various racing scenarios
- Led the 2021 perception pipeline development
- Implemented lidar-based ground removal and point clustering algorithms
- Engineered image processing solutions for cone detection using mono and stereo cameras
- Created a robust sensor-fusion algorithm combining camera and lidar data
Our hard work paid off with some impressive results:
- 2nd place overall at Formula Student Germany 2022
- 2nd place overall at Formula Student East 2022
- Winner of the Engineering Design Event at Formula Student East 2022
These achievements were the result of countless hours of hard work, innovation, and teamwork. Each competition pushed us to improve and refine our autonomous systems.
Team Leader - Driverless Department (Sept 2022 - Sept 2024)
After proving myself as a developer, I took on the role of Team Leader for the Driverless Department. This position came with new challenges and responsibilities:
- Leading and managing a team of 12 engineers
- Overseeing all aspects of project coordination, technical development, and strategy execution
- Coordinating cross-functional development efforts across various systems:
- Perception
- Localization
- Mapping
- Trajectory and speed profile planning
- Control systems
- Vehicle interfaces
Our crowning achievement during my tenure as Team Leader was securing 1st place in the FSG Autocross competition. Our autonomous car set an impressive lap time of 30.6 seconds, outpacing the second-place car by a whopping 9 seconds!
The Impact of Formula Student
Participating in Formula Student, especially in the autonomous category, has been an invaluable experience. It provided me with:
- Hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies
- Opportunities to solve complex engineering challenges
- Leadership and project management skills
- A network of like-minded engineers and industry professionals
Formula Student is more than just a competition – it's a launchpad for careers in automotive and autonomous technologies. The skills and experiences gained here are directly applicable to the rapidly evolving world of autonomous vehicles.
Looking Forward
As the automotive industry continues to move towards autonomous technologies, the skills and experiences gained through Formula Student become increasingly valuable. Whether you're interested in software development, systems engineering, or project management, Formula Student provides a unique platform to develop and showcase your abilities.
For students considering getting involved in Formula Student, my advice is simple: go for it! The challenges are significant, but the rewards – in terms of personal growth, technical skills, and career opportunities – are immeasurable.
From writing the first lines of code to leading a team to victory, my journey in Formula Student has been nothing short of extraordinary. It's an experience that continues to shape my career and passion for autonomous technologies.
