Help choosing car for autonomous vehicle competition
 

Hi guys, I'm looking for a car, and I was wondering if you could give me some pointers. For the past couple of years, I have competed in an autonomous vehicle competition using a Losi XXX-CR (2wd off-road). The course is around a parking lot which has a few pot-holes that can be avoided and a few rough spots that probably can't be avoided.

Most of the competitors use "basher" type buggies and trucks. My losi is much better than almost all of them. This year, though, someone showed up with a huge 1:5 scale buggy that looked like an over-sized revo. It was really fast. I think my losi, with it's brushless motor and all is faster on a straight-away, but the suspension is really soft so it rolls on high-speed turns.

I was first thinking of lowering and stiffening the suspension on the losi for next year, but now I'm thinking a 1/10 touring car might be better. Something like an AE TC3 or TC4. On-road it should be able to kill those larger buggies through the turns. I've never tried a 1/10 "road" car though--I have no experience. I have a 1/14 scale Recoil which is quick and agile, but on the road in front of my house, it has a tough time with small rocks, cracks in the pavement, and such.

Does a 1/10 "touring" car do OK on a paved road with rough spots? I can avoid the pot holes, but there will be cracks and small rocks. My XXX has no problems with them. What do you recommend? Does a TC3 or TC4 do fine on rough pavement?

Based on your description, I think you'd be fine with a touring car. Crank the suspension up some, throw some rally tires on it, and you'd be tearing around in 4wd. Your current losi would also work if you played with the suspension a little.

Your projects sounds fun. I've built an autonomous vehicle before, but it used RC tank tracks. I have a deep appreciation for what you’re doing if your vehicle is truly autonomous and is running at the speeds you alluded to. Good luck.

double post.