'Track days are focused on engineering and data gathering rather than speed'
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lianeyvkoff/2016/05/28/an-autonomous-racing-series-kicks-off-in-california/#4aaf4b32537f An Autonomous Racing Series Kicks Off In California May 28, 2016 Liane Yvkoff [images http://blogs-images.forbes.com/lianeyvkoff/files/2016/05/IMG_8394-1200x900.jpg An engineer calibrating the sensors of PolySync's autonomous vehicle. (credit: PolySync with permission to Forbes.com) http://blogs-images.forbes.com/lianeyvkoff/files/2016/05/Screen-Shot-2016-05-28-at-11.58.15-AM.png Screen Shot 2016-05-28 at 11.58.15 AM (e-Go-Kart) ] If Roborace will be the Formula 1 of autonomous electric car racing, then “Self Racing Cars” is the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). At least, that’s the plan for the new driverless car series holding its first “ track days” this weekend. Self Racing Cars is a new race series started by technology entrepreneur Joshua Schachter as a way for companies and hobbyists to test their autonomous vehicles and learn from each other. There are no rules, and there is no qualifying–anyone with a autonomous car or autonomous vehicle technology can apply to participate at the events currently being held at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, Calif. That means that even if it’s just a Go-Kart, as long as it doesn’t have a driver you can race it on the track. In other words, it’s the everyman’s autonomous racing series. However, more than entertainment or bragging rights, this series is a way for companies and people to learn from each other and further the field of autonomous vehicle technology. The barrier to obtain a permit to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in California is high, requiring among other things a $5 million insurance policy. To date there are only a 13 companies–all with valuations in the millions or billions–holding one. But Self Racing Cars gives smaller companies and inventors a legal, safe, and controlled environment to test and refine their technology while learning from the data that others gather and share. In addition to some of the bigger names in advanced driver assisted safety and technology, such as Denso , Velodyne and Nvidia, are lesser known players, such as PolySync, an autonomous vehicle software platform. For now, the track days are focused on engineering and data gathering rather than speed, but eventually Schachter wants to expand the series to include time trials and vehicle classes. [© forbes.com] For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVent-roborace-com-Everyman-s-autonomous-Electric-racing-series-tp4682249.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
