At the end of the course, they compete to determine which team's car is the most efficient. The cars are connected to a computer which measures the constancy of the velocity and plots it on a graph, providing an immediate and irrefutable race result. The course applies fundamental concepts pertaining to both disciplines and has the added benefit of being taught by professors from two programs. Car designs are reviewed periodically throughout the semester to make sure the students are following good engineering practices. The school provides some of the parts for the cars, including a small motor, a set of gears and several electronic components.
Students provide the platforms for their cars, as well as axles, wheels and fasteners.
Last semester, cars were made of Styrofoam, balsa wood, plastic, metal and even cardboard. Lasher and Hemminger use a basic spreadsheet to help students understand the relationship between torque, speed and energy. The students evaluate several types of batteries, measuring current capacity, weight and cost to determine the best power source for their needs. A very challenging part of the model car is the cruise control, since control systems is a course usually taught in the junior year. Teaching freshman about control systems is difficult because they haven't had advanced math necessary for proper analysis.