India’s first low-cost, driverless and solar-powered bus hits the road

Developed by engineering students of Lovely Professional University, the solar-powered driverless bus, which costs Rs 6 lakh, was completed in a span of 12 months.

With pollution levels rising in our country at an alarming rate, the need for eco-friendly transport has become the need of the hour.

To address this issue, a group of 300 students developed India’s first low-cost solar-powered driverless bus. The solar-driven bus was showcased at the 106th edition of the Indian Science Congress (INC) held at Jalandhar in Punjab. The bus was also used to ferry Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate the event.

Students from Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Engineering departments from Lovely Professional University have been part of the project, reports Financial Express.

The project took nearly 12 months to be completed and the students were also assisted by their professors.

The bus has a capacity to seat 10 to 30 people and can travel at 30 km speed, up to a distance of 70 km on a single charge. The bus is powered from the energy generated from solar power, and can also run on an electric motor.

In addition to its hybrid energy source, the bus uses GPS and Bluetooth technology and can be controlled within a radius of 10m.

With the integration of ultra-sonic and infra-red sensors, the bus detects wireless signals, which enables it to run without the assistance of a driver. The technology of the bus makes it suitable for commuting in airports and industrial complexes, which demand the need for low-range and pollution-free vehicles, reports India Today.

According to reports, the bus will enter the commercial market by the end of this year and will be available for a competitive price of Rs 6 lakh.

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