Roshy John, a Bengaluru-based techie, currently working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has developed India's first driverless car - which he calls Tata Nano Autonomous.

John, who is practice head, robotics and cognitive systems at TCS, and his team worked on the algorithms and software in their free time and created a 3D model to test it.

In 2011, John purchased a Nano to test the software. He utilized onboard diagnostics, a regular feature in most cars today, and a scanner to monitor the engine. Creating an algorithm using a custom cluster (multiple computers), he and his team were able to read all parameters of the engine.

John used other devices to extract vitals of the car and its surroundings - wheel encoders to measure the speed of the wheel, multiple lidars (a surveying technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser light) to identify obstacles around the car, GPS and HDR cameras. The data was processed by the software to make the car 'drive' like a human.

John attached pedal robots to the brake, clutch and accelerator and connected them to the software. The ultimate test for the team was when the car halted by itself when John jumped in front of it.

In order to import the scanners, he had to submit a three-page essay to the commissioner of customs before he was given his package, and was even questioned by the police, who got suspicious about the cameras and computers in the car.