Driverless race cars compete in Italy in Europe’s first autonomous multi-car race
The competition is fought largely through programming, simulator sessions and the constant search for a balance between speed and risk.
Imola, Italy has marked a historic milestone as Europe's first multi-car race featuring fully autonomous vehicles took place at the iconic Imola circuit. Five teams from the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) competed in the event, representing Germany, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates. The cars, racing without steering wheels or pedals, were developed by Dallara for Japan's Super Formula series, a renowned racing championship.
The teams, primarily composed of scientists, utilized the same SF23 single-seaters, but stripped out human controls in favor of advanced AI-driven systems. Cameras, radar, and lidar sensors enabled the cars to perceive their surroundings, while onboard computers controlled the vehicles. Meantime, engineers monitored telemetry data and mechanics worked on the cars.
Organizers hoped showcasing autonomous cars in a familiar racing environment would foster public trust in AI technology. Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE, the event organizer, highlighted the challenge of building public confidence in AI, as many people remain hesitant about its potential impact on jobs and society. Alexander Winkler, head of sporting at A2RL, emphasized the league's role in addressing one of the most significant challenges in autonomous vehicle development - testing risky scenarios at high speeds within a controlled setting.
Professor Marko Bertogna of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia agreed, stating that racing against vehicles traveling at varying speeds creates challenging situations that are difficult to recreate in regular road testing. The race showcased the remarkable capabilities of modern autonomous vehicles, with the winner being Kinetiz from the UAE.
Despite the cars approaching the performance of professional drivers, organizers maintain that AI still cannot replicate the intuition and creativity of human drivers. Timpano concluded, "With time, it may get there. But I see it the other way around. Our human pilot can use AI to have a better performance in the safest way."
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