Pune students win award for Google Community Vehicle

Google Community Vehicle, a multi-purpose farm vehicle designed by four Pune students, has won the first prize in the Michelin Challenge, an international design competition. The design envisages the connected vehicle to function as an ambulance in case of emergencies as well as act as a passenger vehicle if needed.

Consisting of Rajshekar Dass, Abu Huraira Shaikh, Sunny Duseja and Joji Issac, the winning team are from the Pune-based DSK International School of Design. Dass said that they had started working on the project in February and submitted the project in May this year.

Dass said that their design leverages the Google Loon Balloon technology for their multiple functions. Project Loon, talks of creating internet networks using balloons floating at the edge of space. The vehicle can be easily modified for multiple uses. Dass said that in their concept, the vehicle is diesel-powered and its cost would be minimal. The team had traveled extensively in rural areas to understand the mobility issues they face.

Dass and his team had earned patents for many of the parts.