!!** HELP ... creating a Driving Simulator with Toyota Matrix **!!

!!** HELP in creating a Driving Simulator with Toyota Matrix **!!

I am a Computer Engineering Student at Univeristy of Waterloo. Currently, I have a project to turn a Toyota Matrix into a Driving Simulator. That is, I have to some how connect the car into a computer system which would simulate "REAL WORLD" driving experience.

I know that in order to detect the inputs from the car ( ie. degree of turns and how much did the gas/brake pedal got pressed), I would need some kind of Sensors. The signals from these sensors ( basically different level of voltages ) would be passed into a microprocessor to translate these signals into information that the computer would understand.

I was doing some research about different type of sensors out there. For Steering Angle Sensors, I found one that maybe quite useful and that is the Delphi's INTELLEK Non-Contact Steering Position Sensor. As for pedal sensor, I think Delphi's Intellek Non-Contact Rotary Position Sensor would be useful.

However, I am still quite LOST about the whole idea because I am not sure where can I actually purchase these sensors and I am not too sure if they would work in the Toyota Matrix.


Does anyone have any suggestions? ( like what kind of sensors are BEST for my project and where I can get more information about it? )


Thanks~~

Carol

hmm... what year are u in? Cause i have a few friends in 4th year CE at waterloo... and i never heard of them doing any projects like this?

Simple racing data-acquisition system. Your FSAE team might have one installed on their car.

I've installed several such systems in different race cars. Usually consists of an onboard CPU, wiring loom, and sensors - scrolling for steering, telescopic for throttle-position, etc. You basically download from the CPU into a laptop after every session, et cetera.

Sounds like an interesting project. We should talk.

SS