CAMDEN GALEN
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Senior capstoneWinter 2026 - Present

Autonomous Low-Speed EV Platform Development

Woodpecker is an open-source low-speed electric vehicle platform developed around sustainability, modularity, and hands-on engineering. The project is intended to be net-negative in carbon emissions and serves as the base platform for our autonomous system work.

ControlsAutonomyVehicle IntegrationTeam Execution

Woodpecker Chasis

Render of the Woodpecker low-speed electric vehicle platform

Current render of the Woodpecker platform showing the open-source chassis layout.

Current progress

The design proposal, implementation plan, standards and risks documents, and testing procedures have been completed, and the BOM has been ordered. The current focus is on actively integrating the system and getting the CAN system working so the platform can move toward reliable drive-by-wire and autonomous operation.

Goal by graduation

The goal is to take the platform from its current integrated vehicle state into a more complete autonomous system by graduation, with reliable control of steering, braking, acceleration, and the supporting testing and safety structure needed for real implementation. Another important goal is creating clear documentation so the next group of students can continue building on the work next year.

What I worked on

  • Integrating the chassis, sensors, and controllers needed for autonomous operation.
  • Implementing control logic for acceleration, braking, steering, and emergency braking.
  • Working within a multidisciplinary team to move the platform toward a functional and well-tested autonomous system.

Supporting documents