DriveWise

Buy vs Lease Financial Calculator
Test Drive Scheduler
DriveWise Login Portal
Affordability Dashboard
Value Projection Explorer
Financial Literacy Center - Learn
Buy vs Lease Financial Calculator
Owners Reviews
Car Specific Reviews
Car Specific Financial Breakdown
Financial Literacy Center - Tips
Trust and Transparency
Financial Details Entry
Best Car Match
Car Specific Details
Vehicle Search Engine
Recommended Cars
Title Page

Buying a car isn’t just about preference, it’s a major financial decision. We saw how many people struggle to understand what they can truly afford, how financing terms affect long-term costs, and how lifestyle factors like commute distance or fuel choice shape the real cost of ownership.

That’s why we built DriveSense, an AI-powered financial co-pilot that helps users find their perfect Toyota based on income, spending habits, and daily driving behavior.

DriveSense analyzes a user’s financial profile and driving habits to recommend the most financially sustainable Toyota vehicle.

It provides: • Affordability ranges, how much you can vs. should spend • Buy vs. lease comparisons with total ownership cost • Depreciation forecasts over 5–10 years for each model • Operational cost projections, gas, maintenance, insurance, and taxes • Scenario simulation, sliders for interest rate, fuel price, and mileage changes

DriveSense turns car shopping into a personalized financial planning experience.

We built DriveSense as a full-stack web app using: Frontend: React with TypeScript Vite for build tooling TanStack Query for data fetching shadcn/ui components with Tailwind CSS Recharts for financial visualizations

Backend: Express.js (Node.js TypeScript throughout the backend RESTful API endpoints for all features

Database: PostgreSQL (via Neon serverless) Drizzle ORM for type-safe queries

AI/Modeling: Google Gemini AI API for personalized recommendations Custom financial algorithms (affordability scoring, depreciation forecasting)

Affordability Index Formula: Affordability Index = 0.3(DTI) + 0.25(Credit Score) + 0.2(Budget Alignment) + 0.15(Income Stability) + 0.1(Term Fit)

Challenges we ran into • Building realistic financial models without direct Capital One API access • Translating complex financial data into clear, user-friendly visuals • Calibrating depreciation models across Toyota trims and fuel types • Designing a UI that teaches financial literacy without overwhelming users

Accomplishments that we're proud of • Created an engine that merges personal finance and mobility planning • Developed clear, data-driven visuals that simplify complex insights • Built a “Can vs Should” model that promotes responsible financial decisions • Demonstrated how fintech and automotive intelligence can work together to empower users

What we learned • How to convert financial models into actionable, educational tools • The power of behavioral fintech; guiding users toward smarter choices • The importance of transparency and explainability in financial design • Collaboration between finance, data, and UX disciplines is key to impact

What's next for DriveSense • Capital One API Integration – live account linking for real-time affordability checks • Mobile App Expansion – notifications when users reach financial readiness to buy • Sustainability Mode – EV incentives, charging availability, and green ownership scoring • Community Insights – anonymous benchmarking to help users learn from peers

Our mission is simple: make car ownership financially intelligent so every driver can make smart, confident, data-backed decisions.