We’ve been witnessing strong progress in the development of artificial intelligence and its use in modern daily life. The automotive domain is no exception either, as proved by the increasingly-sophisticated cars populating roads each year.

One of the latest projects switches the attention to racing itself. British advanced technology company Roborace has built the world’s first unmanned electric car (DevBot), a machine that saw its first assignment during the second 2016 Formula E race at Circuit Moulay El Hassan, where it had to complete a 12 lap trial session.

In order to make sure the car could autonomously complete the designated task without any interference, the team carried out a test drive the day before the event with a pilot seated in the car, monitoring the DevBot’s activities. This session also gave the team a good opportunity to collect any necessary data before commencing with the show on Saturday.

“This is a big deal because it is the first event we’re actually showing it in front of the crowd and all the people,” explained Vadim Butakov, the team member responsible for taking care of the car’s artificial intelligence. The electric-only Formula E series draws a wide audience, so it was more than appropriate to demonstrate this novelty in front of all the TV channels and big automotive authorities watching.

The car was programmed to complete one warm-up lap, 10 laps (each lap increasing its pace a bit more) and one exit lap. The test was successfully conducted, for the first time ever in public. “It was a complete success, and the guys have done an absolutely amazing job,” Chief Technical Officer Bryn Balcombe explained.

But things won’t stop here. Roborace is already making preparations for a full autonomous car racing series, using the Formula E calendar. The series is planned to kick off sometime during the current 2016–2017 Formula E season, so there is no doubt we’ll be hearing more about this project very soon. Check out the Roborace official website for additional information.

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