Skip advert
Advertisement

World's first driverless racing series unveils design of electric drone-racers

Roborace driverless championship features cars that can hit 186mph

Roborace, the world's first ever autonomous racing series, has unveiled the design for its driverless racing cars. Daniel Simon, the man responsible for the iconic design of the light cycles in the film Tron: Legacy, is behind the look of the roborace vehicle.

Simon claims that the design was put together in order to take full advantage of not having a driver. The roborace car has been put together via a combined effort between aerodynamicists and designers, with an expected top speed of 186mph.

Advertisement - Article continues below

You can see clearly that it is carrying a vast number of sensor and that without a driver, the potential to create huge levels of downforce is most definitely there. Active aero bodywork is also in the works.

Little is known about exactly how Roborace will operate as a series, organisers are claiming that "shows" will take place during the Formula E season, although races will last roughly an hour.

We were initially sceptical about Formula E, but it did end up delivering fairly exciting racing, despite all its clear marketing potential. Roborace appears even more so, with the lack of driver freeing up even more space for marketing.

"Sport is on every level about people. Formula E came across as a big marketing exercise, but actually delivered some good racing, this was because of the drivers." said evo's Henry Catchpole.

"the way that this sport is going to appeal is if the regulations allow the cars to do things that a human piloted car can't do. If the cars were extrodinarily quick, or pulling huge levels of G-force which a human physically couldn't cope with, then it could be interesting. It needs to offer something over and above conventional racing, there needs to be a reason why they're autonomous."

We will have more on Roborace plans as and when they're announced.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

24 Hours of Lemons – we dive into the endurance race for $500 scrappers
24 Hours of Lemons
Features

24 Hours of Lemons – we dive into the endurance race for $500 scrappers

£500 wouldn't buy you a wingmirror for a Le Mans car. At the 24 Hours of Lemons, it's the budget for your entire race car. We get stuck in
19 Apr 2025
Genesis GMR-001 will bring V8 power to take on Ferrari at Le Mans
Genesis hypercar front
News

Genesis GMR-001 will bring V8 power to take on Ferrari at Le Mans

Genesis Magma Racing debuts, with the GMR-001 hypercar set to join a packed grid at Le Mans in 2026
16 Apr 2025
McLaren V10 hypercar will race Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin at Le Mans
McLaren Le Mans hypercar
News

McLaren V10 hypercar will race Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin at Le Mans

After years of speculation, McLaren has finally teased its top-level hypercar that will race at Le Mans in 2027
11 Apr 2025
The anatomy of a NASCAR Cup car: under the skin of the 200mph V8 racer
NASCAR Cup car anatomy
Features

The anatomy of a NASCAR Cup car: under the skin of the 200mph V8 racer

The thrill-packed NASCAR Cup Series has undergone arguably its biggest ever shake-up with the introduction of the Next Gen car. We get up close with F…
29 Mar 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Volkswagen Passat 2025 review – a breath of fresh air next to leaden EVs
Volkswagen Passat front
Reviews

Volkswagen Passat 2025 review – a breath of fresh air next to leaden EVs

Being ‘only’ 1500kg has its advantages. The latest Passat in petrol-only form reminds us ‘normal’ cars can and should be above average
16 Apr 2025
Why the Vauxhall Astra should have been given a different name
Vauxhall Astra GSE
Opinion

Why the Vauxhall Astra should have been given a different name

It’s time to reassess a perennially underrated hatchback, says Porter
17 Apr 2025
Best German cars – our high-performance favourites from the Fatherland
Best German cars
Best cars

Best German cars – our high-performance favourites from the Fatherland

If you still think Germans don’t have a sense of humour, you haven’t driven their finest performance cars. You’d be grinning from ear to ear
18 Apr 2025