A mobile device called InGear that logs learner driver mileage took out Telstra’s machine to machine (M2M) university challenge this year.
The competition requires student teams to develop an idea that can use the telco’s NextG network for M2M applications.
Students from the University of Sydney beat out 14 other university teams in the competition with InGear, a small device that can be connected to the car and mileage is automatically logged.
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University of Sydney computer science undergraduate Jenna Bermeister said it came up with the concept because the majority of her team had completed or were on their learner licence.
“We had all been through the process of having to fill in each trip in our logbooks. Being IT students, we were really interested in the idea of automating this process and how we could use the NextG network to do that,” she said in a statement.
Current New South Wales legislation requires learner drivers to clock up at least 120 hours of supervised driving before they can sit the driving test.
"If you can’t afford a professional instructor, one of your parents has to sit with you while you’re driving, for 120 hours. That’s a lot of hours for everyone,” Bermeister said.
According to University of Sydney IT associate professor Bob Kummerfield, the students worked on their concept for three months.
“The students’ design was judged on its unique approach to the problem as well as its business and commercial viability,” he said.
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