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Hack A Truck – Embedded Systems Hackathon

For students

Software engineering has never been more exciting—or more powerful—than it is today. With modern development tools we jump between languages, frameworks, and architectures: Python for rapid prototyping, C++ for performance, C# for systems integration, and countless libraries that abstract away the hardware beneath.

Workshop
Date
18 May 2026
Time
13:00 - 17:00
Location
Revere Lab

But underneath every layer of abstraction, every framework, and every cloud service… there are still bits and bytes.

And sometimes those bits and bytes move 40 tons of electric Volvo truck.

In Hack A Truck, you will step outside the world of high-level abstractions and into the domain where software meets real machines. During this hackathon you and your team will build programs that interact with and control a real Volvo FH Electric truck.

Working in teams of 2–3 engineers, you will design and implement functionality that controls truck behavior and systems—starting from the most fundamental level: a C or C++ program interacting with an embedded system.

No web frameworks.
No JavaScript frontends.
Just code, hardware, and a truck.

If you have ever wanted to see your code leave the screen and move something real, this is your chance.

 

What you need

  • A team of 2–3 people
    (maximum 3 due to the limited seating inside the truck cabin)
  • Ability to program in C or C++
    (or the willingness to learn fast)
  • Two days of your life and a hacker mindset

 

What you will get

  • Hands-on experience with large-scale embedded software systems
  • Practical training on how to work with and operate a Volvo truck platform at Stora Holm
  • The chance to build something few software engineers ever get to touch
  • A chance to win an iPad
  • And most importantly: a CV line that will immediately start conversations

 

Schedule

May 18 (13:00–17:00)
ReVeRe Lab – Introduction session

  • System overview
  • Programming environment
  • Embedded control basics

 

Who can participate

Students from Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg:

  • Bachelor students year 2 or higher
  • Master students
  • PhD students are also welcome

Prerequisites:

  • Programming experience in C, C++, or embedded systems