Autonomous High-Speed Swerving Vehicle using the VL53L5CX Sensor

The Autonomous High-Speed Swerving Vehicle uses a Raspberry Pi 5 as the central processing unit to coordinate real-time environmental perception and motor control. At the front of the vehicle, the VL53L5CX-SATEL 8x8 Time-of-Flight sensor maps the environment by emitting infrared light and measuring the time it takes to reflect back, providing an 8x8 matrix of distance data. The Raspberry Pi 5 runs Python scripts utilizing OpenCV and NumPy to process this spatial array, executing an S-curve swerving algorithm that calculates smooth trajectory adjustments. When obstacles are detected ahead, the software dynamically modulates the steering and velocity profiles rather than coming to a dead stop. Power distribution is managed by a 30W 10A DC-DC buck converter, which steps down the voltage from a 12V Li-ion battery pack (comprising three 18650 cells) to safely supply the Raspberry Pi 5 via a modified USB Type-C power cable. Meanwhile, the raw 12V line is routed through a DPDT master switch directly to an L298N motor driver. The L298N acts as an H-bridge interface, translating low-voltage control signals from the Raspberry Pi into high-current power outputs for the four 200 RPM DC motors, allowing the vehicle to independently drive and maneuver at high speeds around obstacles.