- Poway Auto: Smarter Navigation Through Code and Collaboration
Poway Auto: Smarter Navigation Through Code and Collaboration
Scrum Master: Ahaan Vaidyanathan
Email: ahaanvk@gmail.com
School: Del Norte High School, Class of 2027
Course: AP Computer Science Principles
Final Project Overview
Poway Auto is a real-world full-stack application that optimizes routing for autonomous vehicles using real-time open data from the City of Poway. This project was built in collaboration with PilotCity as part of a real internship, representing a capstone achievement in both my academic and technical development.
My application blends:
- Machine Learning to predict congestion patterns
- Google Maps API to visualize routes in real time
- Flask (Python) to manage backend APIs and SQLite databases
- AWS EC2 for live backend deployment
- GitHub Pages for frontend deployment
Poway Auto reflects the HyFlex learning model and the vision of the Open Coding Society, where students earn microcredentials (certificates) for technical mastery and NFTs for personalized, creative contributions.
Microcredentials & Open Coding Society Achievements
These aren’t just certificates — they are evidence of lots of effort, cross-functional learning, and meaningful contributions to a real-world product. Here’s why I’ve earned each one.
Certificates (Foundational Technical Mastery)
| Certificate | Why I Earned It — Detailed Justification |
|---|---|
| Tools Basics Certificate | I learned Git and GitHub inside and out — from making branches, handling merge conflicts, to using CLI and GUI to push commits. I also wrote clean, detailed commit messages, helped organize sprints on GitHub Projects, and documented my own progress. I understand the role of tools in collaboration — not just code pushing, but syncing development across real-world teams. |
| GitHub Pages Certificate | I built a working frontend using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and hosted it live on GitHub Pages. But I went beyond basic deployment — I configured routing paths, managed repo structure for clean deployment, and kept the site updated with every feature cycle. I treated deployment like a DevOps engineer — tracking file integrity, update cycles, and loading performance. |
| JavaScript Essentials Certificate | JavaScript was the heart of my frontend — I used event listeners, fetch(), and custom functions to render map data, cards, and error handling. But I also learned how to debug async issues, protect input forms, and design reusable, clean functions. I understand JS not just as a language, but as the logic layer that connects user interaction to back-end computation. |
| Data Analysis with Python Certificate | I used Python for every backend route — parsing JSON, converting query parameters, validating inputs, and calculating traffic predictions. I integrated pandas to simulate future use with machine learning, and worked with SQLite to persist user and route data. I wrote queries, updated tables, and handled exceptions. This shows I can handle real-world data processing, not just basic syntax. |
| Deployment - Linux/Cyber Concepts Certificate | I deployed a live backend using Ubuntu EC2 on AWS. I learned system-level tools like ufw, apt, and gunicorn, configured firewalls, handled IP/port management, and ran Flask behind an NGINX reverse proxy. I understand how production systems are built and secured. No tutorial — just me, the server, and a goal to make it real. |
NFTs (Unique, Creative Contributions)
| NFT | Why I Deserve It — Detailed Justification |
|---|---|
| Personalized Website NFT | Every part of my UI — from the way the cards animate, to how inputs are grouped, to how errors are handled with alerts — was fully designed and implemented by me. I didn’t use templates. I planned the experience, built it with HTML/JS, tested it, and improved it across sprints. This site isn’t just functional — it’s a personalized product that reflects my design and engineering decisions. |
| Innovative Cybersecurity Tool NFT | While most students stop at “it works,” I designed backend logic to prevent SQL injection, incorrect input crashing the app, or unauthorized API requests. I used try/except, validated route parameters, and documented secure API responses. I thought like an ethical hacker and wrote like a secure engineer — showing I understand real cybersecurity principles applied to code. |
| Design Thinking NFT | I didn’t just code features — I followed the full design thinking model: research, prototype, test, and iterate. I designed with empathy for AV developers and urban planners. I considered data latency, visual UX, map clutter, and usability. I adjusted based on real feedback, not assumptions. This NFT shows I don’t just build — I design with purpose and intent. |
| PilotCity Industry Collaboration NFT | I earned this NFT by getting an intership with PilotCity. I demoed my backend, took critiques, and even refactored logic based on their ideas. I communicated clearly, wrote technical documentation, and handled presentations with industry-level professionalism. This wasn’t school — it was real. And I showed up, delivered, and improved every week. |
BYU Microcredential: Design Thinking & Critical Problem Solving
I used the Design Thinking Microcredential I earned in 2024 through Brigham Young University, and applied it to my Poway Auto project by engaging deeply with every stage of human-centered problem solving:
My Application of the 5 Stages — In Practice
-
Empathize
I explored traffic data and interviewed users and mentors. I imagined what autonomous vehicles struggle with — from GPS rerouting delays to lack of live traffic prediction. I didn’t just guess; I understood the real-world user problem. -
Define
I narrowed it down: AVs need a way to optimize routes before traffic becomes a problem. This defined my entire backend logic — predicting congestion based on real inputs. -
Ideate
I mapped ideas, drew UI sketches, and outlined how map overlays would work. I explored alternatives — like tabular vs card outputs, and discussed tradeoffs with peers and mentors. -
Prototype
I built an initial working product — functional Flask API, connected to a simple JS/HTML frontend. I tested with real inputs, got console errors, fixed them, and iterated fast. -
Test & Reflect
I demoed my app to engineers and my class. I listened to what confused them or failed, and redesigned the form structure, map interaction, and response messages. This wasn’t guessing — it was feedback-informed product development.
This microcredential isn’t just a badge I earned — it showcases my ability to effectively identify a problem, and find an efficent solution. It’s a reflection of my deep capability to analyze, design, build, test, and revise in a real-world context. That’s why I earned it.
PilotCity Internship Accomplishment
What I Did to Get It
- Built and tested a live Flask backend on AWS
- Created working congestion prediction logic from open datasets
- Integrated frontend using Google Maps API
- Pitched and revised features based on user feedback
- Delivered an end-to-end solution from planning to deployment
- Did an interview to explain the potential in my project and why I should be considered for Intership
Skills I Demonstrated
- Real-time deployment using AWS, Flask, GitHub
- Frontend/backend connection via REST APIs
- Data validation, error handling, security logic
- Professional communication and iteration
Me getting this internship proves I’m ready for industry — not just because I wrote code, but because I could build, test, and improve in a real agile, real-stakes environment.
What I Learned This Year
I started this year knowing how to code. I ended it knowing how to engineer solutions.
Programming & Technical Skills
- Languages: Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, SQL
- Core Concepts:
- Logic:
if/else,try/except,.then/.catch - Structures: Arrays, dictionaries, JSON, SQL tables
- APIs: Custom Flask REST endpoints + frontend fetch() calls
- Logic:
- Debugging Tools: Postman, Chrome DevTools,
print()logs, JS console
Backend Engineering
- Flask app routing and
@app.route()endpoints - Data validation with
request.args,try/except - Persistent storage with SQLite
- Live response handling using
jsonify() - AWS server deployment + UFW firewall control
Frontend Engineering
- Dynamic UI updates using JavaScript and DOM manipulation
- Google Maps API integrations for real-time routing
- Input validation and result rendering via cards
- Cross-file modularization of frontend logic
Agile & Engineering Practices
- GitHub: Branching, PRs, Issue boards, commit messages
- Sprints: Weekly retrospectives, task planning, burndown
- Live Reviews: Conducted code demos with teachers, mentors
- Project Management: Used digital Kanban boards to track project scope and milestones
Project Impact
- Built a real-time, map-based, full-stack application
- Earned both certificates (for skill) and NFTs (for creativity)
- Collaborated to get an actual internship with Pilot City
- Showcased critical thinking, technical maturity, and self-leadership
- Represented what the Open Coding Society model envisions:
- Students owning their work
- Projects that integrate disciplines
- Achievements that go beyond the rubric
Final Reflections
This project isn’t just the end of AP CSP. It’s the start of something much bigger.
- I now understand how to use tech to solve problems in the real world
- I’ve practiced working under mentorship, feedback, and agile iteration
- I’ve earned verifiable credentials — certificates AND NFTs — that prove my growth
- I’ve designed, built, tested, and deployed a product I truly believe in
I’m excited to carry these credentials, insights, and systems thinking into future internships, hackathons, and college programs.