aiwanese and international students collaborate on tiny autonomous car

台灣與國際學生合作研發微型自駕車

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Taipei University of Technology students and their international peers collaborated to develop tiny autonomous vehicles with functional capabilities during the International Problem-Based Learning Competition.

The event was held in two sessions this year: one in August at Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology and a second in September at Osaka Institute of Technology. Participants included students from Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea, who were grouped into international teams, per CNA.

One of the assigned tasks required teams to build a fully autonomous vehicle capable of color recognition, positioning, and object-grabbing functions. The challenge was inspired by a traditional Japanese game in which blindfolded players try to smash a watermelon. In this competition, the vehicle had to navigate a limited area, avoid obstacles, and hit a paper-made ball.

Chuang Ho-chiao (莊賀喬), a mechanical engineering professor at National Taipei University of Technology, said the competition required students to apply knowledge of mechanics, electronic circuitry, and programming to vehicle design and system integration. The event also offered participants a chance to develop cross-cultural collaboration and communication skills.

Kuo Yu-chi (郭彧齊), a participant from the university, said his team completed the car design and circuit integration in two weeks. During the process, he improved his English skills. Despite challenges like the autonomous car veering off course, the team made adjustments, learning teamwork and problem-solving throughout the competition.

Kyushu Institute of Technology has been a sister school of National Taipei University of Technology since 2014. In March, the two universities co-hosted a workshop focused on sustainable urban development, where students from both schools collaborated on innovative solutions, including wind energy and green building designs.

Osaka Institute of Technology, which has hosted the competition since 2013, added that the event aims to inspire students’ creativity and hands-on application skills in areas such as EVs and robotics. The program also included visits to the university’s robotics laboratory.