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The Cruiser Class is a fairly new class (started in 2013) that focusses on energy-efficient, practical vehicles designed to carry at least two people. The WSC competition is structured as a "regularity trial" in which teams must reach the finish line within a certain time window but are scored solely on energy consumption and "practicality", which is determined by judges. This is intended to mirror the design goals of consumer passenger vehicles.
As of 2018, the American Solar Challenge holds a separate class for Cruiser vehicles, with special rules and scoring for them. However, the scoring system is still under review and is subject to change.
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The term "Electronic Control Unit" (ECU) is used in automotive engineering to refer to electronic embedded systems within a car that control everything from driver controls to ABS braking and power door locks. They are commonly connected together on a shared digital interface known as a Controller Area Network (CAN). This interface can deliver both data between boards and supply moderate amounts of low voltage power. The primary source of low voltage power comes from DC power supplies in the car that convert battery voltage (typically 120V) to 12V.
See Intro to Solar Car Electrical SystemsSystem Knowledge Base for an overview of how a solar car's electrical system fits together.
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