Shark Tank judges take a test drive of AI car. (Photo: Screengrab)
An AI car built in a small garage was navigating the lanes of Mumbai’s Film City. On the latest episode of Shark Tank India season 3, the judges received a pitch which was about the future — AI Cars. Hailing from a small town Yavatmal in Maharashtra, Harshal Mahadev Nakshane of AI Cars, which claims to be India’s first artificially intelligent hydrogen-based vehicle manufacturing start up, graced the show.
The 27-year-old asked for Rs 2 crore for four percent equity as he revealed that him and his team built the car in 18 months in a small backyard garage of his house. The prototype model, which cost Rs 60 lakhs to build, uses hydrogen fuel cell, which takes 5 minutes of refueling time and gives a range of more than 1,000 kms.
The information impressed the sharks, but Anupam Mittal had the obvious question– can they even sit in this ‘AI’ car? The show then revealed the prototype model, built like a sports car.
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Joining for a test drive were Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar and Vineeta Singh. Driven by the contestant himself, at one point he let go of the steering wheel as the AI took over, navigating sharp turns and stationary vehicles on the street. At one point, though, the car almost comes to a halt as it powers its way through a steep climb.
Though the ride impressed the sharks, none of them were willing to invest as they felt the entrepreneur was sincere but too ambitious considering he was combining AI with hydrogen in a country that doesn’t have a market or infrastructure for this and few refueling stations.
The sharks, instead, adviced Harshal to find a job and work for an automible company and use his talent there to push for new and better technology and not waste his efforts in building something of his own, which actually requires “billions of dollars” and not what he was asking for– Rs 2 cr.
Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal said he must not let his “ego” come in between and understand what the practical, realistic hurdles in front of him are. “It is good that in small villages in the country, people are thinking so big. You feel proud, but also a bit sad if someone is not on the right path. We have tried, he seems like an intelligent guy,” Anupam Mittal said as his closing remarks.
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