PLANO, Texas, May 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this
year, a team of students at Georgia
Tech realized that there was a critical gap in
transportation services for people who use wheelchairs – and they
wondered if the solution could be in the palm of their hands.
Today, the students' concept for an app-based service to address
this issue, "Para Pickup," has been named the winner of the Next
Generation Mobility Challenge. The Challenge is a national
competition from the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Net Impact to
inspire millennials to use design thinking to solve mobility
issues. Nearly 600 students participated at 15 events across the
country.
The winning team pitched an app-based, para-transit taxi service
that gives people who use wheelchairs a safe, affordable and
flexible way to get around. This concept would supplement current
public para-transit transportation services, which are affordable,
but can be inflexible and slow. You can view a video of their
concept at this link and a demo at this link.
"We know that in Atlanta alone,
people with disabilities take over 2,200 rides on public
transportation [a day]. We talked to people with special needs in
the community and learned that they have limited ability to travel
independently or make spontaneous plans. There is a real need for
flexible, affordable alternatives, especially for those who can't
afford a wheelchair accessible vehicle. We developed Para Pickup to
help wheelchair users go wherever they want, whenever they want,"
said Sally Xia, a member of the
winning team.
"At Toyota, we are invested in creating better ways for people
to move around, with a focus on helping communities with limited
mobility to do more," said Kristen
Tabar, Vice President, Technical Strategy and Planning
Office, Toyota Motor North America, Research and Development. "The
Para Pickup team spotted a problem that needs solving and came up
with a smart, well thought-out plan to open up more opportunities
for people who use wheelchairs. Congratulations to the team on
their big win and please keep up the good work!"
"Net Impact's goal is to give young people the tools to take on
social challenges through creative thinking and entrepreneurship,"
said Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact.
"Para Pickup took a thoughtful approach to understanding community
needs and building a service that addressed them. We're very proud
of the team and look forward to seeing the progress they make!"
The multidisciplinary team of students included Sally Xia (Masters in Digital Media),
Riley Keen (Masters in Industrial
Design), Pranav Nair (Masters in
Industrial and Product Design), and Kris
Weng (Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. The
students have accepted summer internships through Net Impact in
partnership with Toyota at the company's North American
headquarters in Plano, TX. They
will support the Social Innovation team and continue to develop
"Para Pick-up" for the Toyota Mobility Foundation, which works to
address mobility challenges around the world. The winners may then
be considered for funding to bring their idea to life from the
Toyota Mobility Foundation.
The Para Pickup team was chosen as winner by judges at Toyota
and Net Impact based on six different categories: clarity of goals
and objectives, clarity of project design, impact to society,
feasibility, creativity and the team's potential to implement the
project. Additionally, the public weighed in on the winner through
online voting, where Para Pickup also took first place.
About the Next Generation Mobility Challenge
Launched
in 2015, the Next Generation Mobility Challenge is a competition
from Toyota, the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Net Impact to
inspire millennials to develop solutions for critical mobility
needs in local communities and around the world. Held at fifteen
university campuses across the country, the challenge invites
multi-disciplinary teams of students to participate in design
sprints to develop solutions for mobility issues related to social
equity and inclusion. Local transportation and technology experts
from Toyota and universities provided feedback and real-world
perspective to the students' concepts. In 2016, nearly 600 students
participated.
Toyota is executing the challenge through Toyota Motor North
America and the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), which was created
by Toyota in 2014 to help more people go more places – safely,
easily and sustainably – so they can live better lives no matter
where they are.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius
and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility
through our Toyota and Lexus brands. Over the past 60 years, we've
produced more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14
manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than
44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North
American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.6
million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and
about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years
are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places. For more information about
Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About Toyota Mobility Foundation
The Toyota Mobility
Foundation was established in August
2014 to support the development of a more mobile society.
The Foundation aims to support strong mobility systems while
eliminating disparities in mobility. It utilizes Toyota's expertise
in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership
with universities, governments, non-profit organizations, research
institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues
around the world. Programs include resolving urban transportation
problems, expanding the utilization of personal mobility, and
developing solutions for next generation mobility.
About Net Impact
Net Impact is a global community of
students and professionals who aspire to be effective drivers of
social and environmental change. Our programs—delivered from our
headquarters in Oakland, CA, as
well as globally through our 275+ chapters—connect our members to
the skills, experiences and people that will allow them to have the
greatest impact. With over 100,000 members, Net Impact takes on
social challenges, protects the environment, invents new products
and orients business toward the greater good. In short, we help our
members turn their passions into a lifetime of world-changing
action. Visit www.netimpact.org.
Media Contacts
For Toyota and Toyota Mobility Foundation
Amy Schultz,
amy.schultz@finsbury.com, 917-763-8013
For Net Impact
Jessica Asperger,
jasperger@netimpact.org, 626-590-1147
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgia-tech-students-win-toyota-and-net-impacts-national-competition-with-app-concept-for-people-who-use-wheelchairs-300460949.html
SOURCE Toyota Motor North America