Three young mechanical engineering students, Shivam Maurya (23), Gurupreet Arora, and Ganesh Patil, have developed India’s first AI-powered driverless motorcycle, which they have named ‘Garuda.’

The incident occurred in Surat, Gujarat, western India, on July 21.

The visuals from the spot show student innovator Shivam Maurya sketching the initial design of the motorcycle on paper before moving to the workshop, where he and his teammates can be seen working with equipment and mechanical machines to bring the idea to life. At one stage, one of the students sits on the frame of the unfinished bike to test posture and ergonomics. The footage then transitions to the final product, an AI-powered, voice-controlled driverless motorcycle. Shivam is seen riding the bike on the road in a biker suit, while demonstrations also capture the advanced features, including voice commands that allow the motorcycle to move forward, reverse, play music, and respond to instructions.

Speaking to Newslions Media, Shivam Maurya, Surat, Gujarat, one of the inventors of India’s first driverless motorcycle, informed that the innovative machine has been built at an approximate cost of $2,067 (₹1.8 lakh), using nearly 50 percent scrap materials combined with custom-made components.

Born in Uttar Pradesh but raised in Surat, Shivam Maurya, a B.Tech student, along with his team, set out to transform futuristic ideas into reality by not just designing but actually building a road-ready prototype. Unlike existing global prototypes, their creation stands out for its practical focus on real-world safety in India’s congested traffic conditions.

At the heart of the motorcycle lies an AI-based control system powered by a Raspberry Pi, which functions as its brain. High-range sensors have been integrated to monitor the surroundings continuously and automatically apply brakes if an obstacle comes within three feet, ensuring safety for both riders and pedestrians. The bike has already undergone successful road tests in Indian traffic, with the first phase proving the sensors highly effective.

The team is now working on enhancing the system by adding more sensors and developing a self-balancing mechanism, though regulatory approvals remain a challenge. While not envisioned purely as a consumer product, the students believe the technology has immense potential in sectors like defense, emergency response, and delivery services where autonomous capabilities could play a transformative role.

They also see driverless motorcycles as a game-changer for India’s transport ecosystem in the coming decade, predicting that within the next 5 to 10 years, such innovations could completely reshape last-mile delivery and logistics, bringing futuristic mobility solutions into everyday use.