[santosh]

Originally Posted by NoodleKnight

lead screw and potentiometer, or a bunch of limit switches!

I have to agree with sanddrag, the CVT should be controlled via computer based system -- the driver won't easily be able to smoothly control the CVT's "shifting" as a computer-based system would, and by setting designated shift points for the driver to select, then you might as well have been better off building a shifting-gearbox with n-number of shiftpoints.
Manual override is always nice, yes, but only if the program dies or if the driver really needs to shift fast.
The CVT's shifting program should vary the transmissions reduction ratios on current draw (like sanddrag said) versus wheel speed. If the current draw is high and the wheels speed is low, the transmission should increase the reduction for more torque, etc...
And I don't really think that slipping in a CVT is a big problem, just build it around a high RPM/low torque area -- shouldn't having high RPM's help shifting anyways?

I think that slippage is a big issue. That is a big reason why teams are staying away from it. ABout that motors drawing amps thing, couldn't you have something on the controls that the drivr could see so that he doesnt draw too many amps.

I think however, that the driver should be able to control the positioning of the belt BUT, a program could change the position of the belts if the motor is about to kill itself from drawing too many amps. Am I making any snse. It would kinda be like a guided shifting systm howevr it would only shift for you if you were about to kill the system