Students are building the future of autonomous mobility

Mo 15 June 2026

What if students didn’t just learn about the future, but actually helped build it? In the open category of the RDW Self-Driving Challenge, academic institutions are working on autonomous mobility in real-world settings. They develop software, test their vehicles, and gradually improve performance on the test track. Every test brings the vehicle one step closer to fully autonomous driving.

The open category is all about experimenting, testing, and pushing boundaries. Students learn to understand technology, but also to collaborate under pressure. This makes the Self Driving Challenge more than just a competition. It is a learning environment where students tackle issues that will become increasingly important in the coming years.

The main challenge is not only whether autonomous systems will become a reality, but also whether society has sufficient expertise to understand, develop, and responsibly apply these systems.

In the open category, Noorderpoort, Hanze, and the University of Groningen (RUG) are collaborating under the banner of the University of the North. This collaboration brings together vocational, higher vocational, and university education and demonstrates how different knowledge institutions reinforce each other in innovation, research, and practice-oriented learning.

The video was made possible in part by Holland High Tech, the RUG Faculty of Science and Engineering, Hive Mobility, Robottuner, and the Hanze Digital Society Hub.