The discovery of Shuttle space in the US touches on runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center (Photo from … [+]
The above impact occurred on the starting and landing facility (LLF) at the Kennedy Space Center at the Canaavay Port, in Florida on June 12, 2000, after a 10 -day mission that included the last dacking of a US spatial transfer with the Russian Spatial Station MIR. LLF is one of the longest escapes in the world by 15,000 meters (2.8 miles) and is managed by Space Florida under a 30-year-old NASA deal. Florida space promotes and enhances Florida’s leadership in space economy. and borrows its facilities to trading customers for air space innovation, research, production and testing.
On March 3, 2025, Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) and its partners organized an event in which an autonomous commercial MSErati MC20 Couple without human driver competed on this sacred track and broke a quick record in it 197.7 MPH (318 km/h). This exceeded the previous record at 2022 on the same track of 192.8 MPH with a specially designed race (IAC AV-21). It also exceeded the record set by a Maserati MC20 Coupe autonomous on the Piacenza military airport in November 2024 (177 MPH).
Figure 1: Autonomous Maserati MC-20 Coupes with Polymove He Stack at Kennedy Space Center
IAC and autonomous racing
IAC is a non-profit organization and has been in the vanguard in organizing autonomous competitions since 2020. University teams from the United States, Germany, Italy and Korea compete. Recent events in Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September 2024 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway during consumer electronic appearance in January 2025 breaks multiple rapid records during individual and multi-racare events. In addition to shock, emotions and excitement, a considerable amount of intellectual learning and property in the field of high -speed autonomy and artificial physical intelligence (AI) has been generated.
Autonomous races used by each team are identical in hardware – engine, chassis and other mechanical systems, as well as felt and calculator systems used as part of it. Models, engineers and collect racecars IAC and each team develops its own software stack that includes perception, localization, control of vehicle dynamics and road planning (speed, lane changes, braking, etc.). Once the race begins, the driver of it is on its own, without communication with the team. Competition tactics (track, weather, wind speed, strengths of competition and weaknesses) are simulated in advance and tuned during test jogging. The goal is double – first to develop intellectual property (IP) about high -speed autonomy (sensors, perceptions, calculations) and second to nourish talent in physical and autonomy.
Paul Mitchell is CEO of IAC. He has recently been appointed as the Director General of Aidoptation, a lucrative Belgian -based company, founded as a joint enterprise between IAC, Limburg LRM and Etia Ventures. Its goal is to use collective IPs about high -speed autonomy including robotics hardware systems and low -level software developed by IAC and the best Driver Software Contributions He from university teams competing in IAC events. Aidoptation seeks to address the challenge of high speed cases on public roads and work with autonomy companies to include the driver’s aspects of establishing the autonomy of vehicles safely in these environments. The plan is to build and test a fleet of autonomous cars equipped with the driver of it, and collect 100,000 km of high -speed roads in Belgium and Italy within the next two years.
Then why is this event important? Mr. Mitchell: “These world speed records are much more than just a showcase of future technology; We are pushing the driver’s software he and the robotics device at the absolute edge. Doing this with a road car is helping in the transition autonomous competition lessons to enable autonomous mobility safe, safe, sustainable, high speed on highways. ”
Why is the Kennedy Space Center event impressive ??
The driver of this event was developed by Polytecnico di Milano, the largest scientific-technical university of Italy, at a concert with the Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Alabama. The Polimove-Msu team competed at the Indianapolis event (in which she won the two-cars passing race, beating its university Italian competition from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia at an impressive speed of 170 MPH). She also competed in the passing event with 4 cars in Las Vegas, but had to suspend his effort because of a sensor failure.
Professor Sergio Savaresi is the leader of the polylim team. He indicated that the passage of Pirg of him from the IAC AV-21 to the trade Masarati was direct. Regarding dirty events in Indianapolis and Las Vegas, the challenges of perception are simpler as there are no cars and other obstacles. The straight and flat route is easier to deal with compared to the sharp curves on the oval rails. The main challenge is the delay of time and control – with these high speeds and cross areas, adjustments to correct localization errors and stay in the trajectory can destabilize the dynamics of the vehicle. The driver should recognize this and adapt to very low delay to prevent vehicle instability and accidents.
The record speed of 197.7 MPH is actually an average over a 100 m road section, recorded in each direction (NS and Sn). This is done to make up for the change in the speed and direction of the wind. Interestingly, it takes about 8.5 minutes to reach a maximum speed of 199.5 mph in one direction and 15 minutes to reach 195.9 MPH in the opposite direction. Wind resistance and angle plays an important role in this. The speeds are recorded using two high -precision GPS devices as standard sensors such as 4 -wheel rotational speed, engine rotary speed, etc. They are not suitable for measuring absolute speed due to bias caused by wheel slide and effects of tire rolling beams.
The results are impressive and influential according to Professor Savaresi because “The team used this test to postpone autonomous direction limits, improve safety and reliability. Performed in controlled environments without a human driver, the test evaluates the stability, sustainability and time of reaction, eventually increasing security for urban mobility situations.” The autonomous speed record is close to the estimated maximum speed (200 MPH) for the MC-20 mass.
“Why” for Maserati
The famous Trident logo of Maserati symbolizes a 3-Paid vision to combine Italian passion and perfection To give cars symbolizing ”Luxury, sports and styles cast in exclusive cars. ” Except Autonomous Maserati that participated in the event of the Kennedy Space Center, a MCSrati MC20 Cielo Convertible continued its American journey joining the column of 1000 Miglia Experience Florida (Figure 2):
Figure 2: Maserati MC20 Cielo 1000 Miglia Experience Florida
The same vehicle participated in the 2023 edition of the Historical Race 1000 Miglia where it covered approximately 60 km in autonomous mode Beyond Italy.
It is surprising that a high -performance sports car company like Maserati would be interested in autonomy, as the whole point of such cars is pure emotion of driving. But it makes sense as the iconic company is now owned by Stellantis which certainly has a great interest in Adas and the autonomy of vehicles for its most common car brands such as Fiat, Chrysler, Citroa, Opel and Vauxhall. Stellantis had this to say about the event: “Based on its previous record, this achievement highlights the power of Maserati’s innovation, cooperation and commitment to push the boundaries of technology. “
According to Maserati, tHe lessons from this event are critical of the progress of him and the autonomous technology in the automotive landscape. Maserati is proud to support such an achievement ahead, as it relates to improved models and advances in safety -centered technologies. “
Events promoting autonomous races and high -performance consumer vehicles are exciting because speed and competition between vehicles is something that has fascinated people for more than a century. But it also has a role to play in pushing the limits of computer and physical perception, especially as autonomy in transporting people and goods becomes more common. Lessons from such events will move far ahead in achieving these goals safely and efficiently.