HKUST Intelligent Racing Team Earned Multiple Honors in Two Major Regional Competitions

The Intelligent Racing (IR) sub-team of the HKUST Robotics Team achieved outstanding results in two major regional competitions during summer 2026, earning a total of 12 honors in Taiwan and Huizhou.
 

The 38th Asian Intelligence Robot Contest (AERC) in Taiwan

The event took place on June 6, 2026, at the CTBC University of Technology in Tainan, drawing over 40 university teams from across the region. The HKUST IR sub-team, consisting of 26 students from the software, hardware, and mechanical engineering groups, spent several months developing and refining autonomous robots for specific competitive categories, including Sumo and Forklift. The final designs integrated advanced software algorithms with robust hardware and mechanical systems, developed through systematic testing and cross-departmental collaboration.

The IR sub-team secured a total of eight awards at AERC 2026:

• Third Place in Sumo Competition
• Seven Honorable Mentions across four technical categories:
  • Line Follower (2)
  • Forklift (2)
  • Dodger (1)
  • Sumo (2)

About the Competition
Established in 1989, AERC is a regional platform designed to evaluate engineering, programming, and collaborative problem-solving skills through a series of autonomous and manual robotics challenges.

The 21st National University Students Intelligent Car Race (South China Division) in Huizhou

Following their success in Taiwan, the IR sub-team participated in the South China Division of the 21st National University Students Intelligent Car Race, held at Huizhou University from July 18 to 19, 2026. The competition attracted more than 1,000 teams from across the South China region.

The 25-member team comprised students specializing in software development, hardware engineering, and mechanical design. In preparation for the competition, they spent months building and refining their smart vehicles for diverse challenges involving micro-electromagnetic tracking, object recognition, and drone flying. By conducting rigorous testing and integrating advanced algorithms, robust hardware, and innovative mechanical configurations, they successfully optimized their vehicles for a solid performance.

Their hard work ultimately yielded two major accolades:

• Second Class Award in the go-kart category
• Third Class Award in object recognition

About the Competition
Organized by the Chinese Association of Automation, the National University Students Intelligent Car Race marked its 21st edition in 2026. Since its inception at Tsinghua University in 2006, the competition has successfully driven technological innovation and fostered collaboration among students. Today, it has evolved into a globally recognized event that attracts tens of thousands of university participants annually, building a dynamic network of innovators. Many former contestants have transitioned into industry leaders, shaping the future of smart car technology and automation fields.