The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is venturing into the realm of driverless vehicles, with ambitions to launch these vehicles on its campus in just six months. The director of the institute, Prof BS Murthy, revealed that the vehicles have been developed indigenously and boast autonomous navigation systems.
While globally, companies like Tesla and Waymo are at the forefront of automated driving, Indian companies are also making strides in this space. Major IT and automobile companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Elxsi, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, and Mahindra & Mahindra are investing in new technologies to make such vehicles, which could revolutionize sectors such as agriculture, mining, and construction in India.
Tata Elxsi has already developed its own autonomous driving platform, which allows for completely hands-off, Level 4 driving. They have collaborated with a European automaker to develop its autonomous driving program. However, legislation is still a key issue that could delay the introduction of such vehicles in India.
Universities are also actively involved in the development of driverless vehicles. For instance, students at the MIT World Peace University in Pune have developed a driverless autonomous electric car using AI. Prof Ganesh Kakandikar of the university believes that these vehicles can be used to connect metro stations and airports with the adjoining areas.
Overall, India is still far from seeing driverless vehicles on crowded roads, but with the research and development initiatives underway, the day may not be too far.
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