TEKNOFEST ABF Competition

Innovation Platform for Autonomous Mobility in Turkey

The TEKNOFEST ABF Competition is a central element of the annually held technology and aviation festival TEKNOFEST, supported by institutions such as TÜBİTAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) and the Turkish Ministry of Defense. The competition brings together student teams from across Europe and Asia who develop their own autonomous vehicles and test them in realistic environments.

Competition Structure:

• Two main categories:

  • Unique Vehicle – complete in-house development of hardware and software.

  • Ready Vehicle – software development on provided vehicles.

The vehicles must autonomously navigate in an urban scenario, recognize intersections, avoid obstacles, park, identify traffic signs, and even take pedestrians into account.

Technologies Used:

• Sensor fusion from LIDAR, Radar, GPS, and Cameras.

• SLAM algorithms (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping).

• AI for decision-making: e.g., path planning, obstacle detection, V2X communication (Vehicle-to-Everything).

Significance for Turkey:

• Promotion of local high-tech talent.

• Motivation for startup creation in the field of autonomous systems.

• Building a bridge between academic research and industrial applications.

• Strengthening the country’s technological independence.