UTM, PERODUA COLLABORATE ON SMART MOBILITY CAMPUS PROGRAMME

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 --  Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has marked a key milestone with the pre-launch of its Smart Mobility Campus Programme, an initiative aimed at enhancing student safety and mobility while strengthening academia–industry collaboration.

The programme was officiated by UTM Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim last Friday, during an exclusive session at the UTM Kuala Lumpur campus, together with Dean of the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) Associate Prof Dr Nurulakmar Abu Husain.

In his remarks, Prof Dr Mohd Shafry commended the project team’s innovation and collaborative efforts, noting that the initiative reflects UTM’s commitment to impactful academia–industry partnerships and aligns with the university’s tagline, ‘Innovating Sustainable Solutions’.

“UTM leadership views this programme as a potential benchmark for smart campus integration, youth entrepreneurship, and sustainable transport infrastructure, reinforcing the university’s role in shaping future-ready, technology-driven ecosystems within higher education.

“In line with the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI and UTM’s ASCEND 2030, the Smart Mobility Campus Programme reflects UTM’s commitment to nurturing responsible, values-driven innovation that advances societal wellbeing, sustainability and inclusive national progress through impactful academia–industry collaboration,” he said in a statement today.

The programme, developed through a strategic collaboration with national automotive manufacturer  PERODUA, is designed to enhance campus mobility and student safety, while also providing hands-on exposure in startup development, application engineering and smart fleet management systems.

During the session, project leader Dr Zulhasni Abdul Rahim presented the progress of three smart vehicle prototypes developed under Phase One of the project, which are equipped with advanced IoT-based technologies and smart control features integrated through a custom-built mobile application developed by UTM students, with a live demonstration showcasing real-time remote access and control that highlighted the practical impact of student-led innovation.

The programme is set to enter Phase Two with 12 additional smart vehicles, pending a successful Phase One evaluation by PERODUA’s management, with long-term plans to expand beyond UTM and establish smart mobility ecosystems across campuses nationwide.

-- BERNAMA