Meet the DevBot: World's First Driverless Electric Racing Car
Say hello to DevBot, the world's first autonomous electric racing car, capable of reaching jaw-dropping speeds of 215 mph (350 km/h)! While some might find this a chilling concept, the team at Roborace believes it will make self-driving cars more relatable to us common folk.
"It was created to show what self-driving cars can do and to make self-driving cars feel more approachable. So, we have to do something cool," said Victoria Tomlinson, Roborace's communication lead, to CNN.
The Roborace series, which debuted with plans to host ten autonomous cars racing each other during Formula E championship events, has been attracting attention since its inception in 2015. The series is organized by the same team that manages Formula E, and Daniel Simon, known for designing vehicles in films like Tron: Legacy, was commissioned to create the race car.
The upcoming season will see these cutting-edge machines compete on the world stage. Initially planned for 2017, the races will now take place during select Formula E championship weekends. Expect excitement, mind-blowing stunts, and a glimpse into humanity's future as machines and humans collaborate to showcase the latest advancements in AI and autonomous technology.
Not-So-Hot Start
Things didn't go as planned during the first race in Hong Kong early this year: instead of eight high-speed competitors, only seven engineers managed to push the 1.1-ton DevBot through a three-point turn around its temporary home. A battery issue prevented its grand debut, but worry not; the series still has much to offer.
If you're one of the 25,000 spectators who snagged tickets for the opening race of the 2016-2017 Formula E World Championship, don't fret! There are plenty of other attractions lined up, including tech demos, promotional events, and video games in the eVillage. The final 45-lap race on the 1.8-kilometer circuit attracted top talent, with reigning champion Sebastian Buemi clinching the victory.
The Car of the Future
The vision of the futuristic Roborace car comes to life with a sleek design by Daniel Simon, featuring no room for a driver. Though data can provide insights, there's nothing more telling than human feedback. "Yes, we can learn a lot from the data, but there's nothing more beautiful than actually asking people how they feel inside it – but the resulting car doesn't even provide a seat for a driver," said Tomlinson.
Betting on the Future
The Roborace team is looking to make a comeback next month at the Marrakesh ePrix on November 12th. With hopes of launching before the end of the third season of the Formula E championship, which concludes in July 2023, the team remains optimistic about the future of driverless racing.
With a blend of cutting-edge technology, high-speed competition, and the rich tradition of Formula E, Roborace is poised to offer thrilling competition and exciting entertainment for motorsport enthusiasts worldwide. Stay tuned as this nascent force of automotive pursuits and AI integration continues to revolutionize the racing scene and the world's perception of driverless cars.
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Roborace, the autonomous electric racing series that gained popularity by planning to have self-driving cars compete during select Formula E championship weekends, eventually met its demise due to financial challenges. Since its announcement in 2015, following the successful launch of the Formula E series, the series faced multiple challenges.
In 2016 and 2017, tests and demonstrations were conducted across various Formula E events. However, things began to unravel when Season Alpha, slated for 2019, was delayed due to sponsorship issues. The following Season Beta from 2020 to 2021 continued to face financial problems; in 2022, the series was discontinued when Arrival, the company responsible for Roborace, announced their inability to continue funding the project.
Currently, there are no plans in the works for a revival of Roborace. The autonomous racing scene, however, has continued to develop with events like the Autonomous Racing Cup by Roborace's main competitor, Airtrip's RaceAI. The robot racing world has yet to see a return to the levels of anticipation that Roborace brought when it first emerged in 2015.
