Autonomous vehicle competition concludes successfully with 16 teams showcasing self-driving ATVs at Chennai's GARC facility.
15 Oct 2025 | 3291 Views | By Shristi Ohri
The BAJA SAEINDIA 2025 season reached its conclusion with the inaugural aBAJA SAEINDIA event, marking a significant milestone in India's autonomous vehicle development landscape. Held at the Global Automotive Research Centre in Oragadam, Chennai, from October 9-12, the competition saw 16 teams successfully demonstrate autonomous all-terrain vehicles.
IPS Academy ...
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The BAJA SAEINDIA 2025 season reached its conclusion with the inaugural aBAJA SAEINDIA event, marking a significant milestone in India's autonomous vehicle development landscape. Held at the Global Automotive Research Centre in Oragadam, Chennai, from October 9-12, the competition saw 16 teams successfully demonstrate autonomous all-terrain vehicles.
IPS Academy from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, emerged as the overall champion, with their team IPS Sprinters securing the top position. Government Engineering College, Thrissur, Kerala, claimed first runner-up honors, while B.V. Raju Institute of Technology, Narsapur, finished as second runner-up.
The four-day event attracted 17 participating teams, with 16 arriving with fully functional autonomous vehicles. Five teams ultimately qualified for the final endurance round, which tested vehicles across multiple parameters simultaneously. Teams competed in various categories including technical inspection, static events, dynamic challenges, and the endurance test.
The competition evaluated participants on specialized autonomous driving features. IPS Academy dominated several categories, winning awards for Engineering Design, Virtual Dynamic Event, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and Endurance. Government Engineering College, Thrissur, excelled in Safety Event and Lane Keep Assist categories, while B.V. Raju Institute of Technology secured the Business Presentation and Best Debutant awards.
The event was inaugurated by Vikas Shrivastava, State Head (Retail) of Bharat Petroleum, alongside Ramanathan S, Managing Director of Automotive Test System. A panel discussion on the third day explored India's progress in ADAS and autonomous mobility, chaired by Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Heavy Industries, with participation from industry leaders representing ARAI, TIHAN at IIT Hyderabad, Daimler, Renault Nissan, Siemens, and other automotive technology organizations.
During the valedictory ceremony, Dr. Qureshi emphasized that the competition serves as more than a technical challenge, functioning as a platform for developing managerial and leadership capabilities among engineering students. He highlighted autonomous mobility's role in transforming future transportation systems.
Gunnaji Rao, Territory Manager representing Bharat Petroleum, described the event as a celebration of innovation and resilience among India's engineering youth. Shankar Venugopal, Vice President at Mahindra & Mahindra, noted that BAJA SAEINDIA has accelerated autonomous vehicle technology development while providing students multidisciplinary exposure across mechanical, electrical, and product design domains.
Balraj Subramaniam, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, reflected on the event's growth since its 2007 inception, noting its expansion from a single internal combustion engine category to include electric, hydrogen, and now autonomous formats across multiple Indian locations.
The aBAJA SAEINDIA competition aims to prepare undergraduate students for careers in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and autonomous mobility, providing hands-on experience with emerging automotive technologies. Prize money totaling over ₹2.5 lakh was distributed across various categories, with the overall winner receiving ₹50,000.