IISc, state govt-backed venture launches first All-Terrain Vehicle

Bengaluru: India’s first home-grown All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), developed by A-Thon in collaboration with the AI and Robotics Technology Park (Artpark) at IISc, was showcased at the ongoing International Autoshow 2024, held at Palace Grounds.

The autoshow that kickstarted on September 13 will conclude on Monday.

This ATV, designed for diverse agricultural applications, highlights the country’s growing focus on autonomous technology in farming.

Artpark, a public-private venture at IISc, is backed by the Department of Science and Technology and the Government of Karnataka, with a mission to develop autonomous systems that address the emerging job market created by AI and robotics.

Anurag Srivatsa, Chief Operations Officer at Artpark, explained the joint efforts of A-Thon and Artpark. "Our goal is to transform the agricultural economy by introducing autonomous systems. The knowledge of farming is being lost as more people migrate from rural to urban areas,” he said.

A-Thon exhibited Ashva 4x4 during the third edition of the International Autoshow 2024 held at Palace Grounds on Saturday.

"Young people arriving in cities are already familiar with technology, which positions them perfectly to use autonomous systems like ours to rejuvenate agriculture,” he added.

Srivatsa also highlighted the challenges faced by Indian farmers, pointing out that 85% of farms are small-scale. “Currently, we have exhibited the Ashva 4x4, designed for large farms in hilly and extreme climatic conditions. However, we are also working on a model tailored for small farms.”

He further revealed the development of a 6x6 assisted autonomous vehicle named Adbhut, equipped with a tethered drone, robotic arm and sensors capable of collecting agricultural data. “This data can be used to refine farming practices, and Adbhut even has potential applications in adventure sports,” he said.

Positive impact

Aditya Hegade, Director of Finance at A-Thon, shared the positive impact of autonomous systems on farming.

"Assisted autonomous systems enable farmers to perform essential tasks like pruning, early-stage disease detection, harvesting and crop maintenance more efficiently. Timely interventions reduce crop losses and maximise yield. Our initiative is expected to create up to three times more jobs in rural areas by introducing roles in bot operation, maintenance and data analysis. Additionally, increased yields will drive demand for labour in crop processing, packaging and transportation,” he explained.