The Concept
Where would Formula 1 be without its drivers? The sport has arguably been shaped by characters throughout the years – Stirling Moss, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher – they’ve all made their mark on the sport.
So Formula E’s announcement last year that they’ll be introducing a driverless racing series – The Roborace – certainly raised a few eyebrows.
Would the public be able to get behind and support a lone race car in the same way they do a driver? It’s unlikely. However the main aim of the project is to promote autonomous driving and to provide software developers with an exciting arena in which to hone their skills. Something I’m sure the casual onlooker will be intrigued by, even if they’re not tuning in regularly to watch the race.
See More: ‘Drone Racing. It’s a bit like Robot Wars meets TRON, but is it starting to become more mainstream?‘
The Cars
The organisers have just released a first look at the custom-made electric cars – and boy do they look crazy! Super aerodynamic and covered in sensors, they look like they’ve been beamed in from another galaxy.
And if you do think there’s something a bit TRON about them, then you won’t be surprised to hear that they’re designed by Daniel Simon (the man behind the light cylces in Tron: Legacy).
Reaching speeds of up to 186 mph, they’re a world away from the innocent looking bubble cars Google has been testing.
The exact details of the races are yet to be released, but we do know that the cars will be appearing at the same race days and locations (including London) as the Formula E cars in the 2016/17 series – so watch this space!
