The fuel cell car was a project given to us in first year university, as part of our chemistry and mechatronics courses. We were challenged to program a small vehicle such that it would navigate mazes by line-following, while avoiding obstacles and wrong paths. The vehicle could only be powered with fuel cells, which perform hydrolysis on distilled water to separate hydrogen and oxygen gas.
Each group's fuel cell car competed in a series of mazes to achieve the best time. We were provided with appropriate hardware, though our group decided to make some modifications to improve performance.
We 3D-printed a custom base to replace the aluminum one provided. This new base was lighter, and was designed with smoother edges to avoid getting caught when driving close to obstacles. We also reconfigured the light sensors and drivetrain for a better line-following and steering system.
While putting in the extra work required a few late nights/really early mornings, our innovations allowed us to perform well in the competition. We even won a Design Award, so it was worth it.