I am AI Docuseries, Episode 5: On the Fast Track to AI-Powered Driving - Roborace
Published on Mar 12, 2018
Roborace is exploring the power—and the art—of next-generation self-driving racecars.
Roborace is exploring the power—and the art—of next-generation self-driving racecars.
This video highlights DevBot, the LMP-derived development platform for Roborace. When the programme of serious testing is complete for the day, our test driver can take over for some extreme driving that showcases DevBot’s raw power
What is Roborace? It is the world’s first competition for human + machine teams, using both autonomous-driven and manually-controlled cars. Race formats will feature new forms of immersive entertainment to engage the next generation of racing fans. Through sport, innovations in machine-driven technologies will be accelerated, tricking their way into society. Roborace will redefine the way you think about autonomous technology.
Roborace’s autonomous race car, Robocar, will take on Goodwood's 1.16-mile track guided only by automated systems, making it the first self-driving car ever to attempt the hillclimb. Robocar will be tasked with navigating hay bales, flint walls and forests on the Duke of Richmond's estate, using a variety of sensors that give it 360-degree machine vision around the car.
In addition to the historic run, visitors to the Festival of Speed will also be able to enjoy the hillclimb from the Robocar’s point-of-view in a custom, fully immersive VR experience in the Roborace booth, located inside the Future Lab.
Robocar, the world’s first autonomous race car, was designed by Daniel Simon, the automotive futurist known for his work in Hollywood films such as Oblivion and Tron: Legacy.
The purpose-built electric race car weighs 1,350 kg and is powered by four 135kW electric motors used to power each wheel, for a combined 500-plus hp. An NVIDIA DRIVE PX 2 computer processes Robocar’s data, which includes inputs from the lidar, radar, GPS, ultrasonic, and camera sensors.
An in-depth breakdown of Robocar, the first-ever autonomous race car designed by automotive futurist Daniel Simon and built by Roborace. Utilizing radar, LIDAR, ultrasonic, and machine vision cameras, Robocar produces over 500 hp from its four 135 kW electric motors.
Robocar will be taking on the 1.16-mile track at this weekend's 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed while guided only by automated driving systems, making it the first race car to attempt the feat.
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Roborace is the world’s first competition for human + machine teams, using both self-driving and manually-controlled cars. Race formats will feature new forms of immersive entertainment to engage the next generation of racing fans. Through sport, innovations in machine-driven technologies will be accelerated.
Roborace will redefine the way you think about autonomous technology.
During the week of Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018, Roborace completed the vaunted hillclimb during an early morning test session with Robocar, the world’s first autonomous race car. This accomplishment was made without the assistance of a safety driver.
This feat in combination with the runs over race weekend marks a milestone moment at Goodwood, making Roborace the first-ever autonomous race car to complete the hillclimb at the Festival of Speed.
"Roborace plays an important role in the future of mobility, challenging public perceptions and providing a platform to advance new technologies,” said Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Duke of Richmond and Founder of the Festival of Speed. “This makes them the perfect partner to undertake this significant feat.”
To commemorate the historic accomplishment, the entire run was recorded with a 360 camera system mounted on the fuselage of Robocar. The content was captured for Robocar VR, a custom virtual reality experience debuting inside the Future Lab at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018, and made available for your viewing pleasure here.
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Roborace is the world’s first competition for human + machine teams, using both self-driving and manually-controlled cars. Race formats will feature new forms of immersive entertainment to engage the next generation of racing fans. Through sport, innovations in machine-driven technologies will be accelerated.
Roborace will redefine the way you think about autonomous technology.
Calculated performance is one thing, testing the physical limitations of new technology in the real world is another. Recently, the Roborace team decided to find out just how fast its autonomous race car could go in a straight line. Robocar has the power, the aerodynamics, and it certainly looks fast, but how does that translate on a test track when there’s nothing but raw computing power keeping it all together at the very limits of performance?
Having a human driver inside our autonomous DevBot 2.0 has played a key part in our testing schedule ahead of Season Alpha, Roborace's inaugural season of competition. But what role does a human driver play in developing an autonomous race car? Reece Smith, Roborace mechanic and test driver, explains how AI benefits from having a real life human to help out.
Roborace is the world’s first competition for human + machine teams, using both self-driving and manually-controlled cars. Race formats will feature new forms of immersive entertainment to engage the next generation of racing fans. Through sport, innovations in machine-driven technologies will be accelerated.
Roborace will redefine the way you think about autonomous technology.
Ready for Season Alpha? Our inaugural season of competition will see multiple teams competing against one another at events around the world! We'll be experimenting with different formats and challenges along the way, pushing the teams and the AI to the limits.
Roborace is the world’s first competition for human + machine teams, using both self-driving and manually-controlled cars. Race formats will feature new forms of immersive entertainment to engage the next generation of racing fans. Through sport, innovations in machine-driven technologies will be accelerated.
Roborace will redefine the way you think about autonomous technology.
This is Roborace's Season Alpha. After years of testing and development our all-electric, autonomous DevBot 2.0 platform is ready to race. Here's what to expect from the world's first AI racing series!
Roborace is the world’s first competition for human + AI teams, using both self-driving and manually-controlled cars. Race formats will feature new forms of immersive entertainment to engage the next generation of racing fans. Through sport, innovations in machine-driven technologies will be accelerated.
Roborace will redefine the way you think about autonomous technology.
Roborace set the first ever autonomous official timed run at Goodwood Festival of Speed! With an official time of 66.96s and a top speed of 162.8 km/h!
Team Arrival and Technical University of Munich battled it out in the first-ever autonomous race as the first #SeasonAlpha event comes to a dramatic conclusion in Monteblanco! Who will come out on top?
Another major milestone in building an autonomous future.
Supported by the Duke of Richmond, Roborace and Goodwood brought together key organisations within the artificial intelligence and UK CAV industry to explore the role new forms of motorsport competition can play in the future of road relevant research and driverless safety. The event provided the perfect backdrop to announce the global self-driving safety collaboration between Roborace non-profit spinout ADA (Autonomous Drivers Alliance) and the ITU.
The historic Goodwood Motor Circuit gave McLaren Applied Technologies, Italdesign and Nvidia, amongst others, a platform to imagine what a connected autonomous future can look like.
On 21 March 2019, the Roborace team took Robocar to Elvington Airfield in an attempt to earn the Guinness World Records title for the world's 'Fastest Autonomous Car'.
This is the story of how we did it.
Autonomous cars are set to take over the world's roads, transforming the way we travel. Leading the pack is Robocar, a futuristic self-driving electric vehicle from British start-up Roborace.
Roborace demonstrated its robot's capabilities by taking the car to 282.42 km/h (175.49 mph) – an average confirmed by the UK Timing Association – at RAF Elvington, Yorkshire, UK, claiming the record for fastest autonomous car.
You've seen Daniel Simon's stunning Robocar design but what makes up the autonomous racing car under that stylish shell?
See inside Robocar as each part is pulled out to showcase how this incredible machine functions.