Students design self-driving cars in Technion competition
"Robots have become an integral part of our lives in recent years, and we all encounter them in school, at work and in our leisure."
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Hundreds of students from 10 countries took part in the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology's anual Nadav Shoham Robotraffic competition, this year virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Teams showcased model cars that they designed with the winners of the careful driving category received a full scholarship for one year at the Technion.The Robotraffic competition, held for the first time in 2010, aims to help youth develop an interest in technology and science by developing autonomous vehicles. Competitors develop vehicles that can drive in urban environments and follow traffic laws."Robots have become an integral part of our lives in recent years, and we all encounter them in school, at work and in our leisure time," said Prof. Oded Rabinoviych, a senior executive vice president at the Technion."Their presence will only increase in the years to come, and the current competition gives you a taste of the diverse and unique world of robotics and an understanding of the importance of the mathematical and scientific fundamentals in solving engineering challenges. If you understand this, you have won, no matter the results of the competition."There were five competition categories including racing, traffic safety initiatives and reverse parking.Teams from Russian and Ukraine swept the competition, winning first place in all categories, and second and third place in many.The competition is run by Leumi Robotics Center at the Technion, World ORT - Kadima Mada, and the World Zionist Organization in collaboration with YTEK, Nvidia and IBS, and supported by Bank Leumi.
