On the morning of June 27, 2026, the final round of the 7th RoboCar Innovation Competition, themed “VKU – An Era of Breakthroughs,” took place at the Vietnam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology (VKU), the University of Da Nang. The competition has been organized annually by VKU since 2018.

Overview of the Final Round

Attending the final round were Dr. Huynh Ngoc Tho, Vice Rector of the university and Head of the Organizing Committee; representatives of the sponsoring organizations, namely Nix Education Joint Stock Company and Kim Anh Company; members of the judging panel; experts and guests from domestic and international enterprises; leaders of the university’s affiliated and surbordinate units; members of the 16 outstanding teams that advanced to the final round; and a large number of lecturers and students who came to support the teams.

Dr. Huynh Ngoc Tho, Vice Rector of the university, delivered the opening speech

In his opening remarks, Dr. Huynh Ngoc Tho, Vice Rector and Head of the Organizing Committee, congratulated the 16 teams that had successfully advanced to the final round of the 7th RoboCar Innovation Competition 2026, themed “VKU – An Era of Breakthroughs.” He emphasized that the competition is a meaningful and beneficial technological playground held annually for students majoring in information technology, computer engineering, and electrical and electronic engineering in the Central and Central Highlands regions. It also provides a platform for students to demonstrate their creativity and technical thinking while offering a dynamic hands-on environment in which they can apply their professional knowledge to real-world situations. Through the competition, students gain early exposure to modern technological trends such as automation, artificial intelligence, and embedded control, thereby fostering innovative thinking, mastering technology, and establishing a solid career orientation in the digital age. VKU expects RoboCar to serve as a launchpad that ignites students’ passion for research, innovation, and technological entrepreneurship, thereby contributing to the training of high-quality human resources to meet national development and international integration requirements.

The RoboCar Innovation Competition 2026 serves as an academic and creative playground for students, particularly encouraging first-year students to apply their knowledge of information technology, electronics, and embedded programming to design, build, and control RobotCars. Competing teams utilize various hardware platforms, including Arduino Uno R3, STM32, L298N motor driver modules, Bluetooth HC-06, RF modules, and TCRT5000 line-following sensors, together with modern control algorithms such as PID control, line-following, and balancing techniques, as well as programming in different languages to optimize the robots’ speed, stability, and operational efficiency. Launched from April 21 to May 10, 2026, the competition attracted 140 teams with nearly 1,400 students participating in the preliminary round. After two selection rounds, together with continuous research, product improvement, and project presentations, the Organizing Committee selected the 16 best teams to advance to the final round, which was expected to features exciting competitions and innovative technological solutions.

In the RoboCar 2026 Final Round, each team designed and built two RobotCars, including a remote-controlled vehicle and an autonomous vehicle, employing a variety of creative and flexible strategies. The RobotCars were constructed from materials such as acrylic, aluminum, and foam, and integrated microcontrollers including AVR, STM32, Arduino, ESP32, and Raspberry Pi, along with infrared, ultrasonic, and encoder sensors, as well as AI algorithms for image processing and navigation. Remote-controlled vehicles are operated via RF or Wi-Fi and incorporate robotic arms for picking up and transporting objects, while autonomous vehicles are capable of line following, traffic signal recognition, maze solving, and fully autonomous navigation. The entire system must ensure stable and safe operation with a power supply below 24 VDC.

Teams compete against each other through the tasks set by the organizers

In each match, lasting a maximum of five minutes, two teams simultaneously deploy two RobotCars to complete tasks specified by the organizers. The autonomous vehicle must automatically navigate the course, recognize traffic signals, and solve the maze before reaching the finish line. At the same time, the remote-controlled vehicle performs tasks involving the pickup, transportation, and stacking of cylindrical blocks to complete objectives Q1, Q2, and position V. The team that completes all tasks in the shortest time is declared the winner. The combination of automation capabilities, precise control techniques, and effective coordination strategies promises exciting competitions while also demonstrating the participating teams’ research, innovation, and technological application capabilities.

Team ROBOSCHE excellently won the first prize

In the final round, to ensure objectivity and fairness, the judging panel comprised experienced lecturers in the fields of control and automation, together with experts from various enterprises. After a tense and exciting competition, the Organizing Committee awarded the first prize to Team ROBOSCHE, the second prize to Team VKU Luxury, the third prize to Team Maple Story, the fourth prize to Team OnTheTop, and 12 consolation prizes to the remaining teams, along with other valuable awards totaling nearly VND 50 million.

The 7th RoboCar Innovation Competition 2026, themed “VKU – An Era of Breakthroughs,” concluded successfully, serving not only as an engaging intellectual playground but also as a venue that nurtures students’ passion, courage, and aspirations to master technology. Through intense competitions, the teams demonstrated their ability to design, program, and control intelligent robots while effectively applying their specialized knowledge to practical situations. The competition further reaffirmed VKU’s pioneering role in creating a learning environment closely linked to practice, promoting innovation, and contributing to the training of high-quality human resources to meet the demands of digital transformation and international integration. RoboCar is not merely a competition but also a journey that inspires future generations of young Vietnamese innovators. See you at RoboCar 2027, where technological inspiration continues to spread.

VKU Media

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