Futuristic cityscape featuring the ROboMObil, highlighting its maneuverability.

Reinventing the Wheel: How Autonomous Vehicles Like the ROboMObil Are Shaping the Future of Driving

Nico Varela in Tech & Innovation July 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how innovations in electric and robotic vehicle technology are paving the way for self-driving cars and revolutionizing transportation."

The automotive industry is on the cusp of a massive transformation, driven by advancements in electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving technology. While the idea of self-driving cars might still seem like a futuristic fantasy to some, the reality is that researchers and engineers have been diligently working for years to bring this vision to life.

One such project pushing the boundaries of what's possible is the ROboMObil (ROMO), an innovative electric vehicle conceptualized and developed by the German Aerospace Center. More than just a car, the ROboMObil serves as a robotic system and a test platform for evaluating new approaches to autonomous driving. This article dives into the design and capabilities of the ROboMObil, exploring its unique features and the research it enables.

Imagine a vehicle that can navigate complex environments, park itself with precision, and even adapt to different driving modes based on the situation. That's the promise of the ROboMObil. By examining its architecture, sensor systems, and control mechanisms, we can gain valuable insights into the future of transportation.

The ROboMObil: A Research Platform for the Future

Futuristic cityscape featuring the ROboMObil, highlighting its maneuverability.

At first glance, the ROboMObil might resemble a conventional car, but beneath the surface lies a world of difference. Instead of a traditional chassis and steering system, the ROboMObil features four independently controlled wheel robots. Each wheel integrates an electric drive for steering, an electric motor for traction, and a hydraulic brake. This unique design gives the ROboMObil an exceptional level of maneuverability.

Unlike most cars, the ROboMObil boasts ten actuators that directly influence its dynamics. This over-actuation allows for incredible control, including a steering angle range from -25 to 95 degrees. This enables the vehicle to perform impressive maneuvers such as rotating around specific geometric points inside its hull and driving sideways. The possibilities are vast.

Enhanced maneuverability with independent wheel control.
Over-actuation for precise dynamics management.
Unique steering capabilities for complex movements.
Versatile platform for autonomous driving research.

The ROboMObil's movements are orchestrated by a central computing unit that processes data from various sensors. This enables different operational modes, ranging from fully autonomous driving to telepresence, where an operator controls the vehicle remotely. Hybrid modes are also possible, allowing for shared autonomy where the system and a human driver collaborate. This research platform is pushing the boundaries of autonomous driving, telepresence, and vehicle dynamics control.

The Road Ahead: What the ROboMObil Teaches Us About the Future of Driving

The ROboMObil represents a significant step forward in autonomous vehicle technology. By serving as a testing ground for new concepts and algorithms, it helps researchers tackle the challenges of creating truly self-driving cars. While widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles may still be some years away, projects like the ROboMObil are paving the way for a future where transportation is safer, more efficient, and more accessible.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1007/978-3-658-19087-3_4, Alternate LINK

Title: The Robomobil

Journal: Robust Perception from Optical Sensors for Reactive Behaviors in Autonomous Robotic Vehicles

Publisher: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

Authors: Alexander Schaub

Published: 2017-07-20

Everything You Need To Know

What is the ROboMObil, and how does it differ from a conventional car?

The ROboMObil is an innovative electric vehicle developed by the German Aerospace Center designed as a robotic system. It acts as a platform to evaluate new methods for autonomous driving. Unlike conventional cars, it uses independently controlled wheel robots, each with its own electric drive for steering and traction, plus a hydraulic brake, resulting in greater maneuverability. The ROboMObil employs a central computing unit to process data from numerous sensors, enabling operational modes such as fully autonomous driving, telepresence, and hybrid modes that involve collaboration between the system and a human driver. While topics such as sensor fusion and path planning are not explicitly detailed here, they are essential for autonomous functionality.

How does the ROboMObil achieve such high maneuverability?

The ROboMObil uses ten actuators to directly control its dynamics, leading to over-actuation, giving it precise control, including a wide steering angle range from -25 to 95 degrees. This allows the ROboMObil to perform maneuvers such as rotating around specific geometric points within its structure and driving sideways. While the specifics of the algorithms that manage these actuators aren't detailed, they're critical for coordinating movement. Without these algorithms, the vehicle would not be able to coordinate the movements.

What are the different operational modes available on the ROboMObil, and how do they work?

The ROboMObil uses multiple operational modes like fully autonomous driving, telepresence (remote control), and hybrid modes (shared autonomy between system and human). It uses a central computing unit which processes data from various sensors that enables different operational modes. While the vehicle has these different modes, many components such as sensors, actuators, and a central computing unit would all work together to enable these modes.

Why is the ROboMObil considered a significant step forward in autonomous vehicle technology?

The ROboMObil is significant because it serves as a testing ground for new autonomous driving concepts and algorithms, aiding researchers in overcoming the challenges involved in creating self-driving cars. The project is paving the way for a future where transportation is safer, more efficient, and more accessible. Without projects like the ROboMObil, advancing autonomous vehicle technology would be difficult, since it tests many use cases for autonomous vehicles.

What potential real-world applications could arise from the unique movement capabilities of the ROboMObil?

The ROboMObil's independent wheel control system and over-actuation allow for enhanced maneuverability, precise dynamics management, and unique steering capabilities, which enable it to perform complex movements. Its ability to drive sideways and rotate around specific points could lead to improved parking assistance, navigation in tight spaces, and enhanced stability control in dangerous driving conditions. Without projects like the ROboMObil, testing these advancements would be very difficult.