Drivora Hardware System
3rd Year Project

Drivora

Universal Advanced Driver Assistance System

Distributed Retrofit Safety for Underserved Vehicles

Explore Project View on GitHub
70% Vehicles lack modern ADAS
4 Safety modules
360° Safety coverage
Rs. 9,710 Actual component spend
01 / Introduction

The Problem We're Solving

70% of vehicles lack modern ADAS - leaving drivers without collision warnings, blind-spot alerts, or stability monitoring.

Drivora is a distributed retrofit safety system that brings comprehensive driver assistance to any vehicle at a fraction of the cost of a new car.

Warning

Blind Spots

Large vehicles have massive blind spot zones that cause accidents during low-speed maneuvering.

Rollover

Rollover Risk

High center of gravity creates dangerous rollover conditions during sharp turns or sudden maneuvers.

Vehicle

Legacy Vehicles

85% of older vehicles and 95% of commercial fleets have no collision warning or safety monitoring.

Target Audiences

Passenger car

Older Passenger Vehicles

Owners of classic and older vehicles who want modern safety features without the cost of purchasing a new vehicle.

  • No collision warning system
  • Missing blind spot detection
  • Limited safety budget
Commercial vehicle

Commercial Vehicles

Operators of buses, lorries, and delivery trucks with massive blind spots and high centers of gravity.

  • Massive blind spot zones
  • High rollover probability
  • Low-speed collision risk

Key Safety Features

01

Forward Collision Warning

Ultrasonic sensor-based front distance monitoring with proximity detection for proactive collision prevention.

02

Blind Spot & Rear Safety

Three rear sensors providing comprehensive blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alerts.

03

Lane Departure Warning

Camera-based road marking identification with immediate audible alerts to keep drivers in lane.

04

Rollover Prevention

Real-time center of gravity tracking with stability scoring to warn against dangerous maneuvers.

02 / Solution Architecture

System Architecture

Drivora is built as a distributed system with four hardware modules communicating over a CAN-Bus backbone, all connected to a central Dashboard Hub that handles sensor fusion and decision logic.

Drivora System Architecture Diagram

Prototype Implementation

Component-level view of the physical prototype, showing how each hardware module is wired and integrated within the vehicle.

Drivora Prototype Implementation Component Diagram

Data & Control Flow

Sensors

Sensors

Ultrasonic, IMU, and Camera collect raw environmental and vehicle data.

→
CAN-Bus

CAN-Bus

All modules transmit data to the Dashboard Hub via the CAN-Bus backbone.

→
Processing

Processing

ESP32 WROOM 32 fuses sensor data and applies decision logic to generate warnings.

→
Output

Output

Audio alerts, visual display warnings, smartphone app, and cloud event logging.

Drivora Data Flow Diagram

Communication Methods

Protocol Used For Direction
CAN-Bus Inter-module communication backbone Bi-directional
Local Wi-Fi Smartphone app user interface Hub → Phone
Internet Critical event logging to cloud database Hub → Cloud
03 / Hardware & Software Designs

Detailed System Designs

Hardware Design

Sensors

Ultrasonic Front
Front Ultrasonic Sensor Array

Waterproof ultrasonic sensors for precise distance and proximity measurement in the forward direction.

Qty: 2×
Type: Waterproof Ultrasonic
Application: Forward collision
Ultrasonic
Rear Ultrasonic Sensor Array

Waterproof ultrasonic sensors for rear proximity and side blind-spot coverage.

Qty: 3×
Type: Waterproof Ultrasonic
Application: Rear / blind spot
IMU
IMU Sensor

9-axis high-precision motion tracking sensor measuring acceleration, gyroscope, and magnetometer data.

Qty: 1×
Type: 9-Axis IMU
Application: Rollover / COG
Camera
Camera Module

OV2640 camera for real-time lane marking detection and road line identification.

Qty: 1×
Type: OV2640
Application: Lane detection

Processing Units

MCU
ESP32 WROOM 32 - Dashboard Hub

Primary processing unit handling sensor fusion, decision logic, Local Wi-Fi communication, and user interface management. This is the brain of the Drivora system.

MCU
ESP32 C3 - Module Controllers

Three additional ESP32 units deployed in the Front FCW Unit, Rear Blindspot Monitoring Unit, and Lean Monitor Unit to handle local sensor reading and CAN-Bus communication.

Communication Hardware

CAN Transceivers

4× long-distance CAN transceiver modules enable reliable, noise-resistant communication between all system modules across the vehicle.

Power Systems

Buck converter and adapter ensure stable power delivery to all system components from the vehicle's 12V power rail.

Enclosures & Wiring

Waterproof housings protect all outdoor modules (Front FCW Unit, Rear Blindspot Monitoring Unit, Lean Monitoring Unit) from environmental exposure.

Software Design

Dashboard Hub Firmware

Sensor Data Reception
via CAN-Bus
→
Sensor Fusion
Data normalization
→
Decision Logic
Threshold evaluation
→
Alert Generation
Audio / Visual / Wi-Fi
→
Cloud Logging
Critical events

Mobile Application

Dashboard
Live Safety Dashboard

Real-time display of all sensor readings and safety status indicators.

Alerts
Alert Notifications

Immediate push notifications for critical safety events.

Logs
Critical Event Logs

Historical log of all safety events with timestamps for review.

Settings
System Configuration

Adjust warning thresholds and sensitivity settings remotely.

Cloud Database

Critical safety events are transmitted via the internet to a cloud database for logging and analysis. Events logged include:

High-G Maneuvers Lane Departures Forward Collision Warnings Blind Spot Triggers Rollover Risk Events System Faults
04 / Testing

Testing & Validation

Drivora follows a three-phase testing strategy, from isolated module validation through to real-world traffic testing.

Phase 01

Module Testing

Validate each hardware module independently using simulated inputs before system integration.

⬤
Front Ultrasonic Distance Accuracy

Verify ultrasonic measurements against known reference distances at various ranges.

⬤
Ultrasonic Echo Timing

Validate round-trip echo timing and distance computation accuracy.

⬤
IMU Tilt / Vibration Response

Test 9-axis readings under controlled tilt and vibration conditions.

⬤
Camera Lane Detection

Evaluate lane marking detection accuracy under varied lighting conditions.

Phase 02

Integration Testing

Test CAN-Bus communication and system-level functionality with all modules connected.

⬤
CAN Data Transmission

Verify data integrity and latency across the CAN-Bus network under load.

⬤
Sensor Integration Accuracy

Validate sensor fusion output against combined sensor scenarios.

⬤
Alert Response Time

Measure end-to-end latency from sensor trigger to driver alert generation.

⬤
Error Handling

Validate graceful degradation when a module fails or disconnects.

Phase 03

Real-World Testing

Validate the complete Drivora system in live traffic conditions on public roads.

⬤
Forward Collision Warning

Test warning generation at realistic approach speeds in controlled traffic scenarios.

⬤
Blind Spot Detection

Validate detection accuracy for vehicles in blind spot zones during lane changes.

⬤
Lane Departure Accuracy

Evaluate false positive/negative rates across road types and weather conditions.

⬤
Rollover Prediction

Test COG stability scoring during aggressive cornering on test track.

Project Timeline

Week 12
Design & Procurement Wk 1 – 4
Module Development Wk 4 – 10
Integration & Software Wk 11 – 16
Testing & Refinement Wk 17 – 20
Wk 1Wk 5Wk 10Wk 15Wk 20
05 / Budget

Detailed Budget

Rs. 9,710 Actual Spend (used items)

Real costs incurred to date. A separate set of components were procured during prototyping but ultimately superseded by the final design.

Used Items

# Item Amount (Rs.)
1 ESP32-C3 Super Mini Board ×3 2,370.00
2 MPU-6050 IMU Sensor 680.00
3 TJA1050 CAN Module ×4 1,000.00
4 XL4016 Buck Converter 750.00
5 1N5408 Diode ×2 20.00
6 Female-to-Female Jumper Wire Set 130.00
7 JSN-SR04T Ultrasonic Sensor 3.0 ×2 3,770.00
8 Male-to-Male Jumper Wire Set (20 pcs) 110.00
9 Twine Wire (4 m) 400.00
10 Delivery Fees 480.00
Used Items Total 9,710.00

Unused Items Prototyping / Superseded

# Item Amount (Rs.)
1 CDM324 Radar Sensor 522.00
2 JSN-SR04T Ultrasonic Sensor 2.0 ×3 3,300.00
3 LM358 Gain Amplification Module ×2 320.00
4 MCP2515 CAN Module 400.00
Unused Items Total 4,542.00

Cost Summary

Used Items Total Rs. 9,710.00
Unused Items Total Rs. 4,542.00
Sub Total Rs. 14,252.00

* Unused items were procured during early prototyping phases and superseded by final hardware design choices.

06 / Conclusion

Conclusion & Future Work

What Was Achieved

Drivora demonstrates a viable, low-cost approach to retrofitting modern ADAS capabilities onto any vehicle. By distributing four specialized hardware modules across the vehicle and connecting them via a CAN-Bus backbone, the system provides comprehensive 360° safety coverage including forward collision warning, blind spot detection, lane departure alerts, and rollover prevention.

The actual component spend of Rs. 9,710 (used items) - with a combined project total of Rs. 14,252 including prototyping - makes this safety upgrade highly accessible to the vast majority of vehicle owners who currently have no safety technology.

Future Developments

  • AI
    AI-based Threat Assessment

    Integrate on-device machine learning for smarter collision prediction and false positive reduction.

  • Cloud
    Fleet Management Cloud Platform

    Develop a dedicated cloud dashboard for fleet operators to monitor multiple vehicles in real time.

  • OTA
    OTA Firmware Updates

    Enable over-the-air firmware updates for all modules to deploy improvements without physical access.

  • V2V
    V2V Communication

    Explore vehicle-to-vehicle communication for cooperative collision avoidance.

Commercialization Plans

01

Pilot Program

Partner with 2–3 commercial fleet operators in Sri Lanka for a real-world pilot deployment and data collection.

02

Certification

Pursue relevant vehicle aftermarket and electronics safety certifications for Sri Lanka and regional markets.

03

Product Launch

Launch Drivora as a commercial aftermarket product targeting vehicle service centers and fleet operators.

04

Regional Scale

Expand to other South and Southeast Asian markets where legacy vehicles dominate the road.

"Every vehicle deserves a second chance at safety."
07 / Team

Meet the Team

Project Members

Thakshila Bandara

Thakshila Bandara

E/21/050
Prasadi Bandara

Prasadi Bandara

E/21/052
Shamishka Darshana

Shamishka Darshana

E/21/077
Sachith Nirmal

Sachith Nirmal

E/21/269

Project Supervisors

Supervisor

Ms. Yasodha Vimukthi

Project Supervisor
Supervisor

Dr. Isuru Nawinne

Project Supervisor
Supervisor

Mr. Thilina Gunarathne

Project Supervisor
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