An AI-driven Maserati MC20 Coupé has broken the world speed record and this milestone underscores the potential of AI-driven technology to revolutionize both motorsport and everyday transportation, blending performance with innovation while preserving the heritage of Italian automotive excellence.
Record-Breaking Speed: The Maserati MC20 coupe achieved a top speed of 197.7 mph (318 km/h), setting a new world record for autonomous vehicles. This surpassed the previous record of 192.8 mph set in 2022 by an Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) AV-21 racecar.
Location: The record was set at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, which features one of the world’s longest runways at 15,000 feet (2.8 miles). This runway, previously used for Space Shuttle landings, provided an ideal testing ground for high-speed runs.
Collaboration: The achievement was a joint effort by the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), Politecnico di Milano (Italy’s leading science and technology university), Maserati, and the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida. The AI software was developed by the PoliMOVE-MSU team, part of Politecnico di Milano’s Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous (AIDA) initiative.
Technology: The autonomous driving system combined deterministic algorithms with artificial intelligence, pushing AI-driver software and robotics hardware to their limits. The technology was tested in extreme conditions to evaluate stability, robustness, and reaction time, with the goal of enhancing safety and reliability for future autonomous mobility, including low-speed urban situations.
Significance: This record-breaking run demonstrated advancements in high-speed autonomous technology, with potential applications for safe, secure, and sustainable high-speed autonomous mobility on highways. It also highlighted the transferability of autonomous racing innovations to production streetcars.
Following the record run, a second MC20 Cielo convertible joined the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida convoy, showcasing the car’s autonomous capabilities in real-world scenarios, having previously driven 37 miles autonomously in the 2023 1000 Miglia race in Italy.
Autonomous world speed record
The highlights of the new autonomous world speed record set by the AI-driven Maserati MC20 coupe include:Record-Breaking Speed: The Maserati MC20 coupe achieved a top speed of 197.7 mph (318 km/h), setting a new world record for autonomous vehicles. This surpassed the previous record of 192.8 mph set in 2022 by an Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) AV-21 racecar.
Location: The record was set at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, which features one of the world’s longest runways at 15,000 feet (2.8 miles). This runway, previously used for Space Shuttle landings, provided an ideal testing ground for high-speed runs.
Collaboration: The achievement was a joint effort by the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), Politecnico di Milano (Italy’s leading science and technology university), Maserati, and the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida. The AI software was developed by the PoliMOVE-MSU team, part of Politecnico di Milano’s Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous (AIDA) initiative.
Technology: The autonomous driving system combined deterministic algorithms with artificial intelligence, pushing AI-driver software and robotics hardware to their limits. The technology was tested in extreme conditions to evaluate stability, robustness, and reaction time, with the goal of enhancing safety and reliability for future autonomous mobility, including low-speed urban situations.
Significance: This record-breaking run demonstrated advancements in high-speed autonomous technology, with potential applications for safe, secure, and sustainable high-speed autonomous mobility on highways. It also highlighted the transferability of autonomous racing innovations to production streetcars.
AI-driven Maserati MC20: Additional Context
This was not the first autonomous record for the MC20; it previously set a benchmark for the fastest autonomous production car at 177 mph (285 km/h) in November 2024 at Piacenza Military Airport in Italy.Following the record run, a second MC20 Cielo convertible joined the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida convoy, showcasing the car’s autonomous capabilities in real-world scenarios, having previously driven 37 miles autonomously in the 2023 1000 Miglia race in Italy.
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