Tran Van Han, 29, an officer working in Military Region 4 under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, received the top award at the ceremony held in Hanoi on January 28.
Han said the idea was born from witnessing a series of serious traffic accidents involving children and students who were using motorbikes without proper supervision from their families.
“Many heartbreaking accidents involve underage riders. It is not only a tragedy for families but also a major loss for society,” he said.
After studying the competition criteria, Han teamed up with Pham Ngoc Minh Nhat, 25, a conscripted soldier in his unit with a background in mechanical engineering, to develop the product. Han led the project and documentation, while Nhat was responsible for the core technology and electronic system.
After nearly two months of research, testing and refinement, the team completed the “smart key” system, designed to prevent children from riding motorbikes without parental approval.
The device connects directly to a parent’s smartphone via an application, allowing them to grant or deny permission to use the vehicle. Without approval on the app, the motorbike cannot be started, even if the child has the physical key.
Parents can also set specific time windows for use, such as a short period for travelling to school. Outside those hours, the system automatically disables the bike.
In addition, the smart key integrates GPS tracking and speed monitoring, enabling parents to follow routes, check destinations and detect potential traffic violations, helping guide children towards safer behaviour.
The system was tested on 12 motorbikes before the final version was completed, with performance improvements made after each trial.
Han said he hoped the innovation would eventually be developed in partnership with motorbike manufacturers and integrated as a standard feature on new models.
“If that happens, these will not just be motorbikes, but smart motorbikes that help parents manage their children better and contribute to a safer, more civilised traffic environment,” he said.
The Vietnam Traffic Safety Innovation Awards 2025 were jointly organised by Dantri Newspaper, the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, and Toyota Motor Vietnam, aiming to promote safer and more responsible road use nationwide.