Gujarat : IITGN Students Develop Self-Driving Vehicle for Campus Navigation

GANDHINAGAR, GUJARAT : Students at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have achieved a remarkable feat – building a fully-functional autonomous vehicle capable of navigating the campus grounds without a driver. This impressive project was undertaken as part of a unique course on Autonomous Vehicles offered in the Spring semester of 2024.

Over a period of five months, a team of 10 fourth-year BTech students, primarily from Mechanical Engineering with one student from Chemical Engineering, meticulously transformed an electric golf cart into a self-driving marvel. Their dedication and perseverance were crucial in overcoming numerous challenges to bring their vision of a self-driving campus shuttle to life.

The team equipped the vehicle with a suite of sensors, including a regular camera, a depth camera, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology. These sensors provide the “eyes” for the vehicle, allowing it to perceive its surroundings. Additionally, the students made significant hardware modifications, including altering the steering, braking, and acceleration mechanisms. Software development played an equally important role, with the students creating computer vision algorithms to process visual data and automatic control algorithms to enable autonomous navigation.

The result is a vehicle capable of a range of impressive maneuvers. It can detect lanes and obstacles, steer itself along its designated path, and automatically brake and accelerate as needed. Extensive testing has been conducted on the IITGN campus roads over the past few weeks, with initial speeds maintained at a safe 7 kilometers per hour. Safety remains a top priority, and the students have incorporated multiple backup systems, manual overrides, and emergency stops for complete peace of mind.

Professor Harish P.M., the instructor of the course, expressed immense pride in his students’ accomplishments. He lauded their ability to handle such a complex project, integrating advanced technologies into a real-world application with a high degree of reliability in a short timeframe. Prof. M.P. further commented on the rapidly evolving field of autonomous vehicles, suggesting their potential presence in controlled environments like airports, campuses, and malls before widespread adoption on public roads.

The student team, supported by guest lecturers, IITGN lab staff, and teaching assistants, managed to achieve remarkable results with a limited budget of approximately Rs 65,000 (excluding the vehicle and computer). Saniya Patwardhan, one of the student participants, described the experience as enriching and demanding, requiring meticulous planning and unwavering dedication. She also highlighted the challenge of utilizing existing lab resources effectively, a hurdle they ultimately turned into a rewarding learning experience.

Another student, Rahul Pai, echoed the sentiment of a transformative journey. He emphasized the invaluable learning gained from applying theoretical knowledge practically, collaborating within a fantastic team, and witnessing their creation navigate autonomously after months of hard work.

Looking ahead, the students envision the next batch taking their innovation further. They hope to operationalize the autonomous vehicle as a daily service for students on campus. Furthermore, they believe future teams can use this platform to participate in autonomous vehicle races against other colleges across the country.