Saxion & University of Twente
Team AutoSAT
A unique collaboration between Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the University of Twente brings a fresh and ambitious team to the Self Driving Challenge 2025: AutoSAT. The name stands for “Autonomous Vehicle Saxion And Twente” – and the team spirit reflects that partnership. With nine students from different disciplines, they are working hard to prepare not just one, but two vehicles for the challenge.
From ATV to AV
The technical base for their open-category vehicle? A secondhand ATV, completely transformed into a fully electric, autonomous machine. The original two-stroke engine was removed and replaced with an electric drivetrain – upcycling at its finest. At the same time, the team is also developing a closed-category vehicle, focusing on key software modules such as localization, perception, and control.
Diverse and determined
AutoSAT is made up of students from Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, ICT, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science. They are guided by a coach from Saxion with expertise in sensing and perception. Their varied backgrounds allow them to approach the project from different angles, leading to strong collaboration and smart, creative solutions.
Learning through doing
For Saxion, this is their first time competing in the Self Driving Challenge. The University of Twente, however, joined last year and achieved second place in the closed category. This year, the goal is clear: learn, innovate, and aim for the top in both categories.
Pushing every boundary
The biggest technical challenge? Everything must be built from scratch in a relatively short amount of time. From hardware design to sensors, electronics, and software architecture – it all needs to work seamlessly. They’re expanding on the software used in last year’s closed category and adapting it to new sensors and platforms. This will boost performance on the course and lay the groundwork for future editions.
AutoSAT is ready to hit the track – on two fronts.