The NRMA has launched a new initiative to help equip high school students with the tools they need for a bright and innovative future in the new economy and related technologies through its Future of Transport Challenge.
The pilot program, which is currently underway in four high schools including Waverley College, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Moriah College and Masada College, sees students research a real world transport issue and then create a product or service to address that issue.
The program is launched hot on the heels of the NRMA’s Future of Car Ownership flagship report released last week, which revealed an autonomous vehicle future and a “subscription-style” relationship with the car, the NRMA is encouraging students to envision and plan for this ground-breaking change in how we move around.
Two ideas being explored by students at St Andrew’s Cathedral School include a white cane to aide mobility for the visually impaired linked to Siri on a smart phone and solar LED lights to allow for recreational activities on roads less used once shared and driverless cars are common place.
NRMA Senior Manager Education, Venera Owens, said the NRMA was taking a proactive approach to enabling real world learning in schools so students could understand how and why the world was changing and what they could do to prepare themselves for a high-tech future.
“The Future of Transport Challenge is an entrepreneurial boot camp for the next generation of start-ups and fits across multiple subjects while supporting project-based STEM learning,” Ms Owens said.
“The Challenge is targeted at Year 9 and 10 students, just in time for them to make informed choices about what subjects to choose for the HSC. We hope to open their eyes to all the options open to them in the new economy and related technologies that are just around the corner.”
Director of Design and Innovation at St Andrew's Cathedral School, Corinna Bailey, said the NRMA Challenge gave students a serious industry problem to apply their design thinking.
“The students are relishing having the NRMA as an industry partner, giving them a solid real world problem with clear restraints and tight deadlines. It has inspired them to know the NRMA is interested in hearing what they have to say and has empowered them to visualise a future in which they can be part of,” Ms Bailey said.
The Challenge finals will be held on September 14 where teams will pitch their product “shark tank style” to a panel of experts including NRMA Group CEO Rohan Lund at a youth education event at Sydney Olympic Park. The winning students will get the chance to join the autonomous shuttle trial at the Armoury, Newington for a day of testing and learning about the future of autonomous vehicles in action.
The NRMA has created a website with all the educational resources schools need to support students through every step of the Challenge. From the background research, to product prototyping, testing and how to develop a pitch. The educational program will be rolled out to all schools in NSW and the ACT in 2018.
