Assam, Sep 3: A vehicle breakdown in the middle of a highway can quickly become more than an inconvenience. For drivers stranded on unfamiliar stretches of road, finding a mechanic, understanding the problem or getting timely assistance can be difficult. For 17-year-old Tandreem Trishan Kalita from Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, this everyday experience led to a larger question: could technology make getting roadside help faster, safer and more reliable?
Tandreem has made it to the national Top 40 of the fifth edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow with RoadFix, an AI-powered roadside assistance solution that diagnoses vehicle faults and connects users with verified mechanics instantly.
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is Samsung’s flagship CSR innovation programme for young people aged 14 to 22. Through design thinking, mentorship and hands-on learning, the programme enables young innovators to identify real-world challenges and develop potential solutions, taking them from early stages towards prototypes.
From Highway Breakdowns to Reliable Roadside Assistance For Tandreem, the challenge is the uncertainty that follows a vehicle breakdown. When a vehicle stops working on a highway, drivers may struggle to understand the fault, find a trustworthy mechanic or know how quickly help can arrive. These challenges can become even more pressing in terrain-heavy regions like Assam, where immediate roadside assistance may be limited.
RoadFix explores using AI to diagnose vehicle faults and connect stranded drivers with verified mechanics instantly, helping simplify the process of getting roadside assistance when it is needed most.
Tandreem’s journey reflects a wider shift in India’s innovation landscape. More than half of this year’s national Top 40 teams are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, highlighting how young people across the country are bringing their own experiences to challenges that matter to their communities.
Under the AI Living for India theme, RoadFix explores how emerging technology can be applied to a practical mobility challenge with potential relevance beyond Assam.
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow gives young innovators access to mentorship, technology, design-thinking skills and a platform to take their solutions forward. The Top 40 teams will now participate in a 10-day Innovation Bootcamp, receiving intensive mentoring from startup founders and industry experts at FITT-IIT Delhi. They will also visit Samsung R&D Institute India – Delhi, Noida and Bangalore, Samsung Design Delhi and Samsung’s Regional Headquarters in Gurugram.
The teams will then compete for a place in the Top 20, which will receive further support to strengthen their solutions ahead of the Grand Finale.
At the culmination of the programme, four winning teams will collectively receive incubation grants worth INR 2 crore, along with incubation support from FITT-IIT Delhi, helping them take their solutions towards further development and market readiness.