NRMA Future of Transport Challenge

The NRMA Future of Transport Challenge asks the leaders of tomorrow to imagine a more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future.

Talia, Megan, Judy and Chanraisarh from Canley Vale High School

Our curriculum-mapped STEM initiative invites students in years 5-10 to solve a real-world transport issue using design-thinking and pitch the idea to industry experts. It offers students a unique opportunity to explore problems, design solutions and learn entrepreneurial skills.

Students receive detailed feedback on their submissions by industry leaders, and finalists are given the opportunity to receive mentorship in preparation for a live finals event to choose the winner of the Challenge.

Congratulations to Tahlia, Megan, Judy and Chanraisarh from Canley Vale High School (pictured at top of story) on winning the Stage 5, 2022 NRMA Future of Transport Challenge with ‘BookSafe’.

An in-depth look inside a Booksafe train carriage.

Source: Booksafe Carriage project submission from students at Canley Vale High School.

BookSafe is a booking system of special train carriages where people use an app and their Opal card to book a train seat in these safe carriages. This means train commuters are able to take safe travelling into their own hands by choosing their own seats; reassuring commuters about their safety and assisting them to avoid crowded train carriages during peak times.

Student, Jade from Davidson High School.

Congratulations to Davidson High School in Frenchs Forest on winning the Stage 4 2022 NRMA Future of Transport Challenge with their project ‘DOVS’. DOVS is a system that is installed in vehicles so that they can automatically send a report to 000 emergency services if the vehicle is involved in a severe crash. Installing DOVS will create a faster response time when vehicle incidents occur, leading to fewer deaths and injuries involving vehicles.

A diagram explaining the technology behind the DOVS submission.

All finalists presented fantastic final projects:

Stage 5 finalists

North Sydney Boys High School with ‘Air-based Automated Automobiles’: An air-based autonomous vehicle that uses AI systems technology, air propulsion and gliding to travel to the destination, serving as an alternative form of transport.

St Patricks Marist College with ‘DynaBus’: An AI bus routing system of public transport that uses dynamic bus routes to increase the efficiency and uptake of the Sydney bus system.

Stage 4 finalists

Loreto Kirribilli with ‘Viridis’: An app to incentivise the use of more environmentally friendly transport options with convenient routes that can be applied to all forms of transport.

Katoomba High School with ‘BEPNO’: To combat range anxiety, the BEPNO flexible solar panels allows the car to charge solely from the sun and eliminate the need for power sources from burning fossil fuels.

Bowen, Richard, Jason and Antonio from North Sydney Boys High School.

The technology behind the North Sydney Boys High School submission.

Oliver, Aryan, Cassi and Dhruv from St Patrick's Marist College.

A diagram from St Patrick's Marist College's submission.

Genevieve Megan Hailey from Loreto Kirribilli school.

A diagram from the Loreto Kirribilli submission

Toby, Finn and Issey from Katoomba High School.

A diagram from the Katoomba Highschool submission.

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These six finalists pitched their innovative solutions to real-world transport problems to a panel of industry experts at this year’s finals event. The judges were NRMA Motoring & Membership former CEO - Emma Harrington, Carly Irving Dolan - NRMA EGM of Infrastructure and Energy and STEM Advisor for the Department of Education & Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle - Dr Scott Sleap.

All judges agree our future is in good hands.

The Future of transport Challenge finals are presented as part of the Sydney Olympic Park Youth Eco Summit (YES) for secondary schools. You can watch the finals events here.

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