The current problems with research in Antarctica are that the infrastructure is not sustainable, unsafe, limited in range, and extremely expensive. All of these factors contribute such that research is not fully optimized in Antarctica. This is the underlying problem: that we do not know enough about Antarctica and that the current infrastructure cannot provide significant new opportunities for research predicting climate change and understanding our planet.
By making a sustainable and autonomous rover, student team Polar aims to ensure that research is not dependent on fossil fuels or direct human involvement, that it is safer and more affordable, which will eventually lead towards more opportunities for research in Antarctica. Polar’s solution is unique because such an autonomous electric vehicle has never been built for Antarctic usage, and there is currently no competitor in this field. As such, you could essentially compare it to a Mars rover.
