Imagine a world where you could sit back and let your car do the driving? A world where all you need is a smartphone to drive you to work sounds just perfect, doesn't it? Four students of Lovely Professional University, Punjab, have taken a step closer into making this dream a reality by successfully designing a car that can be controlled through a mobile phone!
Bikas Kant, a member of the team explains how it all started. "It was during our engineering course that we came up with the idea.
For over two years, we tested our concept on small robots. We then decided to put it to practice on visitors' golf cart at our school. We took it apart and after a detailed circuit study, we reconfigured it. We added sensors; front and back cameras and also remote-controlled the functioning of the brakes, steering and acceleration. And that's how a desi remote controlled car was born!" Kant and his team members successfully tested the car for over 1000 km with provisions like child-lock on auto mode.
"Such experiments are being conducted in the West but in India, we are the first ones to indigenously develop a successful mobile controlled car."
The front and back cameras of the car allows users to live-stream videos even at night.After having achieved remote control through an android operated mobile, the team is looking to develop the application on other platforms too. Another interesting feature which the team has started work on, is letting the car do the decision making.What this means is that, once the users feed in their destination, the car, aided by the Global Positioning System (GPS), will choose the shortest navigable route reach the place!
"The car uses image processing and artificial intelligence gathered from various sensors to navigate through roadblocks like traffic, and other objects. As a computer is far more precise and subject to fewer errors than humans, accident rates may reduce when these vehicles arrive on the road!" says a proud Kant.
While the experiment has been successful on an electric engine operated car, this technology can possibly also be used on petrol and diesel variant cars. "The car will come in handy for the physically challenged because as long as you can operate your mobile phone, you can drive!" says Kant, while talking about the many applications of his team's innovation.
So how about your car drops your guests to the railway station while you chill on your couch?
