DEARBORN — Faced with the soaring cost of gasoline and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions a group of dedicated students at the Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology (DCMST), a high school magnet program in the Dearborn Public School District, have been exploring what it takes to build a car to address these concerns.

Funded by a grant from the Convergence Education Foundation, this small group of students met twice a week after school to plan, test and build an electrically powered automobile as part of the Innovative Vehicle Design Competition hosted by the Convergence 2008 International Automotive Electronics Conference.

Unique among the teams competing in the competition, the DCMST team is not housed in a traditional machine/auto shop. The students met and built their car in a second-story, carpeted computer lab at the Berry Career Center. This meant that students faced the additional challenge of using off-the-shelf parts whenever possible. Starting with a used go-kart frame and the drive system from an old electric golf cart, the students built their car with simple hand tools-hacksaw, file and cordless drill!

The students also relied on their corporate sponsor, Ford Motor Company, especially the skilled trade’s workers at the New Model Platform Development Center, to finish the bodywork they designed, as well as paint the final vehicle. Workers from the City of Dearborn also donated their time to assist with the body work. Given only 6 days to complete the work, these workers transformed the vehicle from a rough, rusty, metal eyesore, to a sleek, classy, ultra-cool show car sporting black paint with green “ghost flames”. The external features, paint and presentation of the vehicle drew large crowds of spectators throughout the first day of competition held October 4 at Nissan Automotive in Farmington Hills.

The team pitted their car against the competition on both a half-mile road course, and a tight figure “8” track. Going up against a variety of “kit cars” the DCMST fabricated vehicle was at a disadvantage in the speed and distance events but their innovative steering system drew the attention of judges and other teams. The electrically powered, computer controlled, “drive-by-wire” steering system allows users to easily switch to any steering device they desire-wheel, joystick, foot pedals, touch screen, etc. The student’s pioneering design is targeted for drivers with various disabilities. For example, a person without the use of an arm might prefer the joystick to a traditional steering wheel. Such adaptive technologies allow vehicles to be easily modified to appeal to a broader customer base.

The final exhibition of the vehicle was be at the Convergence Conference at Cobo Hall on Wednesday, October 22, 2008. At that time the students answered questions and interacted with the electronic and automotive engineers attending the conference.