Driverless racing car takes on former F1 driver

by Paul Hutton

The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) is planning a “Man vs Machine Showdown” at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan next month.

The exhibition race will be the first time Japanese audiences witness a head-to-head race between human skill and AI technology. It will take place on the Super Formula double-header season finale on November 9-10.

In partnership with Japan Race Promotion, A2RL’s ‘Man vs Machine’ challenge will pit two Super Formula racecars against each other in a head-to-head competition. One car will be piloted by former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, A2RL’s development driver, while the other will be entirely controlled by advanced autonomous algorithms and robotics, showcasing what designers call cutting- edge technology.

The award-winning Dallara SF23 car on which A2RL’s car is developed is already a local hero, with it currently used in Japan’s top-tier Super Formula racing series. A2RL’s version of the car, which in the hands of Super Formula drivers is the fastest sub-F1 racing car in the world, uses a host of advanced sensors and systems to enable fully autonomous racing, including seven cameras, four radar sensors, three LiDAR sensors, and a computational ‘stack’, in place of the driver.

The teams behind the ‘Man vs Machine’ challengers are already on the ground in Japan, completing a test program to collect important data and prepare for the much-anticipated showdown. The race marks A2RL’s first public event outside Abu Dhabi, following its debut in April. During the inaugural race, eight international teams competed in autonomous challenges before a capacity crowd of 10,000 spectators, vying for a share of the $2.25 million (£1.7 million) prize pot.

Now in its second year, A2RL, the world’s largest autonomous racing series, is expanding into new territories, and has recently completed a European testing program with Japanese rising star Juju Noda behind the wheel.

Stephane Timpano, CEO at A2RL, commented: “We are excited to bring this thrilling exhibition event to Japan’s iconic racing circuit as A2RL expands internationally. Pitting human against machine is the ultimate test for AI-driven technology, especially when racing against Daniil Kvyat, a former Formula 1 driver who knows this circuit so well. I have no doubt the fans are in for an electrifying showcase of autonomous racing at its best.”

Yoshihisa Ueno, CEO of Japan Race Promotion / SUPER FORMULA, added: “The development of the SF23 has been one of the most significant programs in our organisation’s history, and we are proud to have been part of pioneering this new genre of AI racing using the SF23 platform. To now see it race in this groundbreaking exhibition—one car driven by a human, the other by AI—is both fascinating and exciting. We are pleased to welcome A2RL to the world-famous Suzuka Circuit and look forward to the highly anticipated ‘Man vs Machine’ event.”

(Picture – A2RL)