Redesigning, simulating, and documenting a new vehicle prototype while halting the spread of COVID-19.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we halted in-person activities to slow the spread of the virus. However, this did not stop our drive to develop our vehicle design and technical skills. To continue our operations remotely, we aimed to digitally design, simulate, and document a vehicle scheduled for construction in the 2021-2022 season. This goal of extensive digital design prompted the team to increase collaborative efforts in using available remote engineering tools and pushed us to pursue new online applications to supplement our capabilities.

Although we were unable to physically build or test our vehicle because of the pandemic, this unique season allowed us to invest significantly more time in the technical and professional development of our members. Additionally, it prompted us to deeply analyze and reconsider our design processes and the engineering tools we use for it. This season, we introduced three design reviews to our design process, aligning it with design processes commonly seen in the industry.

We completed the season with extensive documentation and design data for a vehicle ready to be prototyped and tested once the pandemic eases. With this large group of technically skilled and confident team members, we are prepared to meet the new challenges we will face in the 2021-2022 season with its physical implementation.