Driverless racecars on track for April Abu Dhabi debut

Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit, scene of last month's Formula One season-ender, will be a testing ground over the coming weeks for a racecar driven by software algorithms rather than any human hand.

The driverless Dallara Super Formula SF23 open-wheel cars, capable of hitting speeds of 300 kilometres per hour (186 miles per hour), have a computer in place of the cockpit and no need for a steering wheel, seat, pedals or protective halo.

The cars are the stars of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) which is set to hold its inaugural race at the grand prix circuit on April 28, 2024, with a prize fund of $2.25 million.

Ten single-car teams will be involved in year one but organisers accept the science is not yet there for all to race together at speed.

"We know that two (driverless) cars can race well on a track together, what we’ll be pushing to see is can you achieve an outcome where three or four cars are racing competitively against each other?" Dr. Tom McCarthy, executive director of operating company ASPIRE, told Reuters.

"We’re at the frontiers of science on this one. If we got to a point that 10 cars are racing (together) within the next five years I think that would be a huge achievement.

"We see ourselves on a development path, we see a time in the future where you’ll have as many cars lining up on the grid for an autonomous race as a Formula One race, but that’s not going to happen today or tomorrow."

ASPIRE is part of an Advanced Technology Research Council established by Abu Dhabi three years ago with the aim of leveraging technology to help diversify the oil-rich emirate's economy.

'ROBORACE'

Driverless racing has been attempted before, with the all-electric Formula E series planning a 'Roborace' series as