Toyota Technology Challenge
Encyclopedia
The Toyota Technology Challenge is an environmentally friendly engineering
and technology
competition for young people in the United Kingdom
. The competition has been developed by Toyota Manufacturing UK
in partnership with Rapid Electronics
.
and Technology
at Key Stages 3 and 4 (aged 11–16) of the National Curriculum. Teams of three to five pupils are asked to design
and build an environmentally friendly
model vehicle using either solar power
or PIC microcontroller
technology. The competition offers students the chance to put their electronics
and engineering
skills into practice. Pupils are encouraged to consider the environmental impact
of their creations and the potential use of recycled materials.
The winners of the Regional Finals win £250 for their schools and qualify for the National Final, which takes place at the manufacturing plant of Toyota Manufacturing UK
at Burnaston, Derbyshire. The winners of the National Final receive £750 for their schools and a European holiday.
category must create a vehicle which illustrates the idea of a car of the future, capable of harnessing solar energy, storing it and releasing it under controlled conditions. The vehicle must include recycled or recyclable components or materials within its design.
The PIC microcontroller
teams design and build a program-controlled environmentally friendly model vehicle, using a PIC microcontroller to provide in-built intelligence so that it can automatically avoid obstacles on a track. The vehicle must include recycled or recyclable components within its design.
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
competition for young people in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The competition has been developed by Toyota Manufacturing UK
Toyota Manufacturing UK
Toyota Manufacturing UK is the UK manufacturing operation of Toyota, established in December 1989. The vehicle manufacturing plant at Burnaston, Derbyshire assembles cars. The first car off the production line was a Carina on 16 December 1992. Since then production has included Avensis, Corolla...
in partnership with Rapid Electronics
Rapid Electronics
Rapid Electronics is a UK distributor of electronic components and educational products, and supporter of science, engineering and educational initiatives, based in Colchester, Essex.- History :...
.
Purpose
The challenge is targeted at pupils in ScienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and Technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
at Key Stages 3 and 4 (aged 11–16) of the National Curriculum. Teams of three to five pupils are asked to design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
and build an environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
model vehicle using either solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
or PIC microcontroller
PIC microcontroller
PIC is a family of Harvard architecture microcontrollers made by Microchip Technology, derived from the PIC1650 originally developed by General Instrument's Microelectronics Division...
technology. The competition offers students the chance to put their electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
skills into practice. Pupils are encouraged to consider the environmental impact
Environmental degradation
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife...
of their creations and the potential use of recycled materials.
Challenge stages
The challenge consists of three stages: the submission of a project folder, Regional Finals and the National Final. Once registered into the competition, schools receive a free kit containing all the electronic components necessary to build a vehicle. Teams can earn extra marks by making their vehicle more environmentally friendly, improving its performance and creating a team identity.The winners of the Regional Finals win £250 for their schools and qualify for the National Final, which takes place at the manufacturing plant of Toyota Manufacturing UK
Toyota Manufacturing UK
Toyota Manufacturing UK is the UK manufacturing operation of Toyota, established in December 1989. The vehicle manufacturing plant at Burnaston, Derbyshire assembles cars. The first car off the production line was a Carina on 16 December 1992. Since then production has included Avensis, Corolla...
at Burnaston, Derbyshire. The winners of the National Final receive £750 for their schools and a European holiday.
Criteria
Contestants in the solar powerSolar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
category must create a vehicle which illustrates the idea of a car of the future, capable of harnessing solar energy, storing it and releasing it under controlled conditions. The vehicle must include recycled or recyclable components or materials within its design.
The PIC microcontroller
PIC microcontroller
PIC is a family of Harvard architecture microcontrollers made by Microchip Technology, derived from the PIC1650 originally developed by General Instrument's Microelectronics Division...
teams design and build a program-controlled environmentally friendly model vehicle, using a PIC microcontroller to provide in-built intelligence so that it can automatically avoid obstacles on a track. The vehicle must include recycled or recyclable components within its design.
Winners
The 2010 winners were:- Solar Category - ACCTAW Mach II from Test Valley School, Hampshire
- PIC Category - Vetronics from Beechwood Park School, Hertfordshire