Self-driving race cars made their mark at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 in Las Vegas, as the Italian American team PoliMOVE developed a self-driving race car based on a Formula One car, known as the Minerva. The car set a new world record for the speed of an autonomous car, reaching speeds of around 185 kmph during the race.
The race was organized to allow teams of students from around the world to compete against each other and to test the capabilities of self-driving vehicles in high-speed manoeuvres. The event was a success, according to Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) co-organizer Paul Mitchell.
In October 2021, the IAC had put brakes on self-driving Formula One cars racing together, to allow more time for the technology to be ready for the competition. Instead, the self-driving Formula One cars were allowed to do laps individually, to see which had the best time.
The CES 2022 proved to be a great platform for showcasing automotive technologies. Several auto companies and technology firms also showcased their innovative technologies and products at the event.
The self-driving Formula One race car was packed with electronics during the race and participated in another race in October 2021, when it reached a top speed of 250 kmph. The software that pilots the race car quickly analyzes data from sophisticated sensors and anticipates how other competing vehicles on the track will behave, then maneuvers accordingly.
The race was organized by American firm Energy Systems Network, which aims to speed up the development of self-driving tech for commercial use. The IAC has plans to use the data from last week’s race and upscale it to allow multiple teams of driverless cars to compete at bigger events.
In conclusion, the self-driving Formula One race cars at CES 2022, demonstrated that the technology is becoming more advanced and has the potential for future use in the sport. As the technology continues to improve, we may see more autonomous cars on the track in the future.