Széchenyi István University organised an autonomous robotic competition for secondary school students to familiarise them with the technical and IT challenges associated with self-driving vehicles by using computer simulations and small mobile robot platforms. Following the online round, the best teams competed at the Zalaegerszeg Innovation and Training Centre of the university.

The online round of Széchenyi István University’s autonomous robotic competition attracted half a hundred teams from all over the country, with three students and a teacher preparing them for the competition in each team. The aim of the programme was to introduce young people to the latest automotive industry technologies - control technology, sensors, robot programming - even from secondary school age.

Participants and organisers of the final of Széchenyi István University’s autonomous robotic competition (Photo: Horváth Márton)

Interestingly, the first four places went to two teams from Békéscsaba and two teams from Cegléd, which competed against each other in the final with personal participation. Their task was to programme their self-driving robotic vehicles to cover the longest distance on a given track in a given time.

Professor dr. Friedler Ferenc, the Rector and Vice-president for Academic Affairs of Széchenyi István University welcomed the participants of the final (Photo: Horváth Márton)

‘Our university does not only lay the foundations for the success of our students by transferring up-to-date knowledge, but also by developing their skills. To be able to cope in the world of work, it is essential, for example, to be able to work in a team besides having professional knowledge. This tradition-building competition is an excellent opportunity to practise it’, professor dr. Friedler Ferenc, the Rector and Vice-president for Academic Affairs of Széchenyi István University said. He exemplified the victory of knowledge and team work with the performance of the university’s student team, the SZEnergy Team, which won Shell Eco-marathon, Europe’s greatest energy efficiency race last year with a world record. He added that Széchenyi István University places great emphasis on talent management, including support for student teams.

Members of the judges: dr. Ballagi Áron, head of the Department of Automation and Mechatronics of Széchenyi István University, dr. Háry András, chief executive officer of ZalaZONE Ipari Park Zrt. and Merényi Ádám, head of the education business unit of Microsoft Hungary, the sponsor of the event. (Photo: Horváth Márton)

Dr. Háry András, chief executive officer of ZalaZONE Ipari Park Kft., which is owned by the Foundation for Széchenyi István University maintaining Széchenyi István University, highlighted that the environment of the automotive test track is home to programmes based on innovative technologies that this competition also presents.

‘Talented students participating in the competition might as well be students of Széchenyi István University in the future who can be participating even in the ZalaZONE internship programme and can join the work of the research centre in Zalaegerszeg’, the CEO shone a light on the opportunity for the young people.

Autonomous robotic vehicle in the race track. (Photo: Horváth Márton)

Merényi Ádám, head of the education business unit of Microsoft Hungary sponsoring the event said that the young people are fortunate to be living in the fourth industrial revolution when the automotive industry is undergoing significant changes thus they can get to know and apply the technologies of the future.

Teams deserve great congratulations for their performance, Széchenyi István University for launching this competition addressing secondary school students and ZalaZONE for being home to the innovative competition. It already turned out during the first occasion that there was great interest from students, so it is worth continuing the programme’, he said.

Vehicles had to follow the trajectory of the track without touching the side walls. (Photo: Horváth Márton)

In the final the main role was given to autonomous robots which students had to programme to follow the trajectory of the track without touching the side walls and to go as far as possible in a given time. The final result was announced by dr. Szauter Ferenc, head of the university’s Vehicle Industry Research Centre. The first place went to 2Fast 4U from Cegléd, the second place to the Nemes GSZ from Békéscsaba, the third one to the KÚP Team also from Békéscsaba and the BEM Maszek Bt. from Cegléd came fourth.

Members of the winner team, 2Fast 4U from Cegléd with their teacher (second from the left is Vékony Zalán Olivér, photo: Horváth Márton)

‘I applied for the competition out of curiosity because I had already been interested in programming. Besides that I could step out of my comfort zone a bit, and I was able to make a great foray into autonomous transportation. I am planning to continue my studies in computer sciences, thus I might go on to study at Széchenyi István University’, said Vékony Zalán Olivér, a member of the winner team from Cegléd.