Outsourcer Atos has announced the shortlist for its global IT Challenge in partnership with Renault as part of this year's drive to support the "connected car", with a UK university making the cut.
The 15 shortlisted teams from universities across the world are to create an app that offers drivers and passengers "wellbeing on the move".
The competition opened last year and 55 entries were received. Gilles Grapinet, vice president for global functions at Atos, said: "The students have brought their knowledge and creativity into connected car applications that are both innovative and commercially viable."
University College London is the only UK university to make the final 15.
One Atos IT Challenge coach will be assigned to each shortlisted team to help them to take their idea through to a fully functional proof of concept. The coach will provide help with technical and business insights, as well as advice to improve their presentation skills.
The three finalists will be announced in May 2013 and the overall winner at an awards ceremony in June 2013. Finalist prize winners will be awarded an Atos Diploma and the chance to apply for an internship at Atos.
Each member of the overall winning team will also win a trip to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, where Atos is a technology sponsor. The prize will include return flights, accommodation and tickets to Olympic events, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour including a visit to the technology operations centre and meetings with Atos executives.
Last year a Dutch team beat 77 other teams to take the winning prize for an app that enabled sports or music fans to choose what they wanted to see when watching a big match or concert.
The competion shortlist is:
FH Hagenberg - AustriaCarSurf - Universidad Politcnica de MadridDeusto-Mobility - Universidad de Deusto - SpainEat&Drive - University of TwenteEcoDrive+ - University of TwenteEvergreen - FH HagenbergHuman Beans - Universidad Politcnica de MadridKnightRider - Suplec ParisMeike and Mart - University of TwenteNetworked Vehicles - University College LondonNorse - Northern Kentucky UniversityRides - INP ENSEEIHT - FranceSchqwInformatics - Uni-Paderborn - GermanyThe Tourists - FH HagenbergCarvolutionaries - Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University - India