IIT Hyderabad Pioneers Driverless Vehicles with a Woman Leading the Way | TiHAN Project

The TiHAN Project: A Step Toward India’s Autonomous Future

Women are no longer confined to passenger seats. Today, they lead design and engineering teams, occupy key roles, and run major automotive companies, revolutionizing the world of motoring. One such trailblazer is Professor P. Rajalakshmi, head of the Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation (TiHAN) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H). Her work on autonomous vehicle technology is shaping the future of transportation in India.

Professor Rajalakshmi leads a team of over 100 engineers who have designed and manufactured India’s first 14-seater and 6-seater driverless shuttle vehicles.

These autonomous shuttles, launched in August 2023, are currently ferrying people around the IIT Hyderabad campus in Kandi village, Telangana, much like the highly talked-about driverless cars produced by Tesla.

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Technological Innovation in Driverless Vehicles

IIT Hyderabad is at the forefront of developing autonomous navigation technologies. The vehicles, primarily designed for off-road applications like agriculture and mining, have been tested extensively in real-world conditions. The shuttle service, which operates six times a day, is aimed at transporting students and visitors across the campus. These vehicles have already traveled over 15,000 kilometers, ferrying more than 10,000 passengers.

The TiHAN project, valued at Rs 132 crore, is a one-of-a-kind initiative in India. The autonomous vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge software and hardware built entirely by IIT-H, making them a significant leap toward the future of transportation. The project demonstrates India’s growing capacity for developing and deploying futuristic technologies.

While these vehicles are currently operating on the IIT-H campus, there is a vision for the future. The Indian government is working on regulations for autonomous vehicle technology.