Power Distribution Unit Firmware (Formula SAE Electric)
January 2025 - May 2025
At a glance
Skills: C, SPI, CAN bus, reading datasheets, SMT soldering
What: Created firmware for the power distribution unit, a board that manages low voltage power on Olin College’s Formula SAE Electric vehicle.
How: Developed C code from scratch to create hardware timers, send and receive CAN messages, read ADC inputs, control a 7-segment display, and interface with an IO expander via SPI.
Why: Enables team to instantly view vehicle status through visual indicators (LEDs and 7-segment display), allowing the team to identify and address issues faster.
Details
Power Distribution Unit (PDU) board before populating and soldering components
Power Distribution Unit (PDU) board after populating and soldering components (plus a big dog!)
Early whiteboard diagram of Power Distribution Unit (PDU) functions and layout
Resources
Digital Whiteboard of PDU system