In a groundbreaking achievement, Maserati’s modified MC20 supercar has shattered the global record for autonomous driving speed. This monumental feat took place at Kennedy Space Center during the Indy Autonomous Challenge, demonstrating the leaps in autonomous technology.
The artificial intelligence driving software propelling this record-setting performance was crafted by the PoliMOVE-MSU team from the Politecnico di Milano’s performance division of the Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous (AIDA). This group is no stranger to breaking records, having previously established a record of 192.8 mph with a modified Indy NXT car in 2022.
The MC20’s record-breaking run took place on Kennedy’s Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility’s 2.8-mile runway, a site with a rich history of Space Shuttle landings. The autonomous supercar reached a staggering speed of 197.7 mph, outpacing the previous record by 4.9 mph. It also surpassed the previous record for a production car, also set by an MC20, by 20.7 mph. The latter record was set at Piacenza Military Airport track in Italy in November of the previous year.
Professor Sergio Matteo Savaresi, the scientific director of the project, emphasized the importance of these high-speed tests in understanding the performance of AI drivers under extreme conditions. He commented, “These AI systems have been tested in production vehicles at legal road speeds in the Indy Autonomous Challenge races since 2021. The AIDA team used this test to push the boundaries of autonomous driving, improving safety and reliability.”
The Indy Autonomous Challenge, initiated in 2021, is a platform for university teams to showcase and develop their self-driving technology. Originally planned as a full race among nine teams at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the competition morphed into a time trial and obstacle avoidance challenge.
The competition’s successive events took place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Italy’s Monza, with the overtaking challenge being a part of the competition. Last year, only one round was held, once again in Las Vegas.
Paul Mitchell, CEO of Indy Autonomous Challenge, stressed the significance of these world speed records. He stated, “these world speed records are much more than just a showcase of future technology; we are pushing AI-driver software and robotics hardware to the absolute edge. Doing so with a streetcar is helping transition the learnings of autonomous racing to enable safe, secure, sustainable, high-speed autonomous mobility on highways.”
Alongside the record-breaking run at Kennedy Space Center, a second MC20, the open-top Cielo variant, joined the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida convoy. This car had previously covered around 60 km fully autonomously on Italian roads during the 2023 1000 Miglia race.
Massimo Cicatiello, President of EGA USA, celebrated this synergy between the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida and Politecnico di Milano’s autonomous driving technologies. He believes this collaboration signifies a significant step towards the future of mobility, stating, “Seeing a Maserati MC20 – an icon of Italian design and performance – pushing the limits with artificial intelligence is proof that tradition and future can coexist. This first edition in Florida marks the beginning of a new chapter for the 1000 Miglia, bridging the gap between heritage and the frontiers of innovation.”