The Armenian made self-driving, electric car at the Digitec tech expo (Photo: Photolure)
YEREVAN – An Armenian made electric car was presented today at the 2017 DigiTec tech expo, which opened earlier in Yerevan. The self-driving, electric powered car was assembled in Armenia by National Instruments and Armenian engineers.
It was revealed at the “Engineering city” pavilion, which is an exhibition that also featured different engineering and manufacturing devices to support the vehicle operation, including radars, cameras, and laser scans.
Gurgen Mardoyan, a member of the engineering team that developed the concept, hopes the time will come for its serial production in Armenia.
“Today we witness a revolution in the automotive industry,” said Mardoyan according to the Public Radio of Armenia. “This is a period when new organizations that offer innovative products have a chance to proceed.”
Meanwhile, Ruben Simonyan, a representative of National Instruments, stated that Armenian carmakers have been inspired by the design of the modern-day electric vehicles since the 1970s. He also explained that car making is nothing new in Armenia and began with the first electric car that was manufactured in 1975.
According to Simonyan, National Instruments has two areas of concentration – the development of electric cars and self-driving cars.
“The whole world is working on that and we should do the same in Armenia,” Simonyan told Yerevan based Intel.am. ““We have both the knowledge and potential.”
The car is equipped with several driver assist devices including radars, cameras, and laser equipment. Though the sensors weren’t produced in Armenia, National Instruments worked on the design and testing of the entire system.
A team of around 20 people worked on designing and testing the self-driving car. They collaborated with a number of famous foreign companies.
The 13th annual international DigiTec tech expo opened with a ceremony attended by President Serzh Sarkisian. The exhibition will be held from September 29-October 1 and will feature the products and services of Armenian tech companies, the innovative ideas of young children, and the market trends.