Formula E to launch world championship for driverless electric cars

Formula E has confirmed its intention to launch a global race series for driverless electric cars.

Revealing a partnership with Kinetik, an investment company that backs emerging technologies, Formula E announced the ROBORACE series would run as a support package to the Formula E Championship.

It is intended that ROBORACE events will take place before each Formula E race at circuits across the world. The organisers hope the maiden race of the new series will take place during the 2016-17 Formula E season.

A total of 10 teams comprising of two driverless cars will contest the one-hour races. Every team will have the same car, with computing algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies forming the basis of the competition.

Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, said: “We are very excited to be partnering with Kinetik on what is surely one of the most cutting-edge sporting events in history.

“ROBORACE is an open challenge to the most innovative scientific and technology-focused companies in the world.

“It is very exciting to create a platform for them to showcase what they are capable of and I believe there is great potential for us to unearth the next big idea through the unique crowd-sourced contest.”

Founder of Kinetik and ROBORACE, Denis Sverdlov, added: “We passionately believe that, in the future, all of the world’s vehicles will be assisted by AI and powered by electricity, thus improving the environment and road safety.

“ROBORACE is a celebration of revolutionary technology and innovation that humanity has achieved in that area so far. It’s a global platform to show that robotic technologies and AI can co-exist with us in real life.

“Thus, anyone who is at the edge of this transformation now has a platform to show the advantages of their driverless solutions and this shall push the development of the technology.”