Abu Dhabi is launching A2RL, the world’s first autonomous racing league.
It’s like Formula 1, but with no drivers.
The race is happening on Saturday 27th April at Yas Marina, and there are ways anybody can get involved.
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A2RL is the brainchild of ASPIRE, a program that’s part of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology and Research Council.
The idea is to combine motorsport with technology in a way that’s never been done before.
With A2RL, ASPIRE also wants to stress-test the capabilities of self-driving cars and pioneer AI use cases involving motorsport competitions.
And in order to do that, A2RL is offering a pretty generous prize.
For the 2024 season, $2.25 million is up for grabs.
One of the key technical aspects of the race is that each team uses the same vehicle.
The cars were originally designed for human drivers, based on single-seater vehicles used for the SF23 Championship, but they’ve been extensively modified for the competition.
Designed in Italy but assembled in the UAE, each car is fitted with the same sensors and actuators, three lidars and four radars.
However, each team can modify the car even further, making changes where and if they see fit to optimize and refine performance.
Speaking of which, an A2RL car delivers 550 horsepower, and can reach a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).
ASPIRE is teaming up with Focal Point VR in order to create a more immersive VR experience for the race, which is set to take place around Yas Marina Circuit, the same race track used by Formula 1.
Download the A2RL app or head to YouTube or Twitch on A2RL’s official channels to watch the race live this weekend.
ASPIRE is teaming up with Focal Point VR in order to create a more immersive VR experience for the race, which is set to take place around Yas Marina Circuit, the same race track used by Formula 1.
