Hackathon: for a Better Driving Experience…

When drivers approach a car today, they push a button on the key and the car doors unlock. They get in and start the engine by turning the key inside the lock. They start driving, listen to music, and set the navigator or control the temperature using wheels, buttons and handles. Meanwhile, they focus on what is happening on the road and on signs along it. But there are other ways of using cars. We know that car keys can be avoided, and dashboard information can be projected onto windscreens, but the following question remains: how can we improve or even change the interaction between the car user and the vehicle? New technologies can help.

We have a powerful tool, the smartphone; we have new forms of touchless interaction such as NFC, Bluetooth Low Energy, Visible Light Communication, image recognition or gesture recognition. To think and build on these new possibilities, SEAT and ALTRAN have sponsored this hackathon. This creative event includes tutorials on key technologies. A wide range of devices will be available for use, and a car will be provided to validate the solution that is developed.

The idea is for participants to form multidisciplinary teams that can cover different areas of technology development in the automotive industry. Teams will be able to work over a weekend on the design and construction of their projects, and expert design, telecommunication, mechanical, electrical and computer engineers will be on hand to provide advice on any issues that may emerge.