IIT Madras, Renault Nissan Technology hold hackathon on road safety

The objective was to reduce the number of fatalities caused by road accidents in the country. The hackathon invited teams of college students and young professionals with different skill sets to participate and contribute to the cause. 

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has partnered with Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India (RNTBCI) to host a national hackathon called ‘HACK-CIDENTS’ to address road safety. 

The objective was to reduce the number of fatalities caused by road accidents in the country. The hackathon invited teams of college students and young professionals with different skill sets to participate and contribute to the cause. 

Gaurav Gupta, Director, Road Safety, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, stressed on the importance of road safety, as road crashes are one of the leading causes of deaths, disabilities, and hospitalisation in India, with over 1.5 lakh fatalities and over four lakh people injured on Indian roads every year. 

The ministry was seeking to support start-ups working in the field of road safety as start-ups can quickly develop and deploy new technologies, and are more agile and creative when it comes to finding new solutions for existing road safety problems, Gupta said. 

The final round was conducted at IIT Madras on April 22, 2023, where the top eight shortlisted teams presented their prototypes to the panel of judges and winners of the ‘HACK-CIDENTS’ were declared. The first, second and third positions were grabbed by team Megami from Rungta College of Engineering and Technology (RCET), Bhilai; Team Forage from Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College (MMEC), Mullana; and Team Bolt from IIT Madras. 

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