e-Vaahan

Context

IIT Bombay spans over 2.396 million square feet, comprising clusters of academic and residential buildings interconnected by the Infinite Corridor and various streets. While the campus promotes pedestrian and bicycle movement, restrictions on motorized vehicles have led to an increased reliance on auto-rickshaws. This has resulted in higher commuting costs and safety concerns due to fast-moving vehicles. Walking the 1.8 km central street takes approximately 25 minutes, highlighting the need for a more efficient transportation solution.

Design Challenge

Under the guidance of Prof. Ravi Poovaiah, the objective was to create a digital campus by identifying and addressing pain points related to student activities, academics, transportation, and productivity. The focus was on structuring and ordering campus transportation to enhance commuting experiences.

User Research and Insights

The campus hosts 14 academic departments, six centers, one school, and three interdisciplinary programs, accommodating approximately 5,600 students. Despite the availability of personal bicycles and auto-rickshaws, the latter's high costs and limited availability during peak hours posed challenges.

Existing Bike-Sharing Services

Services like PEDL by Zoomcar and CYCLO by Yulu were introduced on campus, offering bike-sharing options through mobile applications. However, user experiences revealed several issues:

CYCLO by Yulu

• Dependence on active Bluetooth connectivity
• Frequent errors during pausing and ending rides
• Unrecognized bike zones
• Long buffer time for unlocking after resuming rides

PEDL by Zoomcar

• Better connectivity than CYCLO but similar issues
• Limited to Android users, excluding iOS users

Many students spend over 60 minutes daily commuting between hostels and academic buildings. To save time, they often resort to hiring auto-rickshaws or using personal bikes, indicating a demand for a faster, cost-effective, and eco-friendly commuting alternative.

Design Intervention

Drawing inspiration from global bike-sharing models and considering the limitations of existing services, the team proposed e-Vaahan—a campus-exclusive ride-sharing system with the following features:

RFID-Based Access

Utilizing students' existing RFID identity cards to unlock bikes, eliminating the need for constant mobile application engagement.

Integrated Interface Module

A device attached to the bike comprising:

• RFID Card Reader: For user authentication and access
• LED Indicators: Providing visual feedback on bike availability and status
• Interactive Screen: Facilitating actions such as starting, pausing, and ending rides

Prototyping and User Feedback

Low-fidelity wireframes were developed to visualize the user interface and interactions.

Key User Feedback

Positive Aspects:

• Appreciation for minimizing mobile dependency
• Leveraging existing ID cards for access

Areas for Improvement:

• Desire for more engaging and playful interface elements

In response, the interface was redesigned to incorporate youthful illustrations and language aligned with the student community, enhancing user engagement.

Conclusion

e-Vaahan presents a tailored solution to IIT Bombay's campus commuting challenges by offering an economical, eco-friendly, and user-centric bike-sharing system. By integrating RFID technology and focusing on intuitive design, the project aims to enhance the daily commuting experience of students, promoting sustainability and efficiency.