The inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) made its debut at the Yas Marina Circuit.
With eight formidable teams from across the globe taking the helm of self-driving Dallara Super Formula SF23 race cars, the A2RL showcased what’s possible in artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicle technology.
These cars, capable of hitting speeds up to 300 km/h, offered a glimpse into a future where technology takes the wheel.
The event drew over 10,000 spectators to the circuit and hooked more than 600,000 online viewers within 12 hours. The Technical University of Munich (TUM) emerged victorious, clinching the lion’s share of the US$2.25 million prize pot.
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), teamed up with UAE tech firm Kintsugi to form Team Kinetiz, the only Southeast Asian representative. This partnership brought together over 28 dedicated scientists and engineers.
Team Kinetiz employed a dual-strategy approach, which consisted of Modular Planning and Control, and deep reinforcement learning.
The A2RL, according to its organisers, is actually less of a competition and more of a celebration of international collaboration and technological prowess.
The A2RL introduced mixed and virtual reality elements to the sport, providing each team with unique avatar personas and integrating VR technology that’s set to revolutionise fan experiences in Formula 1.
The event was also a tech-filled showcase, complete with STEM workshops, VR challenges, and interactive simulators that entertained and educated. It culminated in a fireworks and drone show that lit up the night sky above Yas Marina.
As the event wrapped up, dignitaries including H.H. Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed and H.E. Faisal Al Bannai lauded the efforts of the participants and the groundbreaking nature of the league.
H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber remarked on the transformative potential of AI across industries, celebrating ADNOC’s role in driving forward this technological frontier.
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