Are F1 racers about to lose out to driverless cars? Roborace

With a contract paying £30m a year, Lewis Hamilton is one of the world’s best paid sporting stars. But, in the future, will drivers even be needed?

Earlier this year, Formula E and Kinetik announced the first ever driverless electric car competition, Roborace.


Electric race cars compete without drivers – leaving it to the power of machine learning technology, directed by engineers and their real-time algorithms, to push the cars to the limits of racing perfection.


Building driverless cars is certainly no easy feat, but controlling one racing at 200 mph truly tests the skills of all involved.


Will technology one day replace names like Hamilton, Senna and Schumacher? Roborace's chief technology officer, Bryn Balcombe, reveals the engineering (and people) behind the car.

source: Tomorrow's World - Are F1 racers about to lose out to driverless cars?


The inside scoop on Roborace | CNBC International (video 6min 39sec)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXWtufc9OLE


Roborace | First Look | MWC 2017 (video 5min 12sec)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHF6bI47mM8
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no, because no one gives a flying **** about driverless cars.

 

I don't get the point... but if they were driven via blue tooth by a famous driver - or even X F-1 stars, from a simulator rig... then I can see that working...

you can race against Prost, Fittipaldi, Andretti etc... all the past famous guys on the grid at the same time... that would be cool.

I watched drone racing ... and it was kinda fun. so I could see this working ... but it would have to have a human element in it... otherwise its just technology

 

This.

 

The problem with digital racing, or one where there is no driver in the vehicle....is that there's no reason to be careful anymore, the risk goes.

Lets say we have a robo race in Monaco, driven from the pitlane by F1 drivers in simulators. After 3 laps of being stuck behind a slower, one will attempt a dumb overtake or a stupid block.

Same goes for high speed tracks, blocking someone in a 220mph corner a la indy and ramming one off, there's no consequence.

 

damn elon musk...

 

Lance Stroll's dream come true....

 

Exactly. Until they can figure out how to replace race fans with someone who will pay to see that ****, don't hold your breath.

 

If a race of driver-less cars was held in front of spectator-less stands, would it still be a race?

 

We already have slot car racing.

 

This would be like setting up a race in codemasters F1 2016 and spectating. I wouldn't be interested.

 

I'd rather watch sim racing.

 

I would rather sleep.

 

I'm guessing you wouldn't care to be a passenger.

 

I think you most all (minus Tom) missed the largest negative to the "style " of racing...

No personalities.

Lets face it, many (large majority) watch racing for the personalities. Yes the manufacturer has merit too, as there are Tifosi for that reason, but by in large the personality is who we are watching. Not just the car.

 

I don't think race car drivers need to worry about being replaced by robots. People want heros. Robots aren't heros.

Maybe 50 years from now

And until we get Fembots grid girls are safe too.

 

+1

 

Speak for yourself !!


I think that for some people who like technology, it could be interesting to watch a race of robots.

Of course it would be a competition between engineers, and computer experts, but F1 is slowly heading in that direction anyway, with the drivers becoming more and more jockeys coached from the pits.

Also, let's face it, the driver is the limit to progress in speed. A driverless vehicle could go a lot faster, because it wouldn't have to worry about the safety of its occupant.

 

The creators of the driverless vehicles, the engineers and technicians would become the heroes.

I agree about the timescale.

 

This will never, ever, replace F1 because of one simple fact; to fans, the WDC is more important than the WCC. Take the driver out, and what's the point watching? Interesting tech showcase, but not a replacement.

 

I don't think so. If/when professional racing does die, sim racing will be what people watch/support, and the driver of the cars will be the hero.

 

think I'd prefer R/C racing over sim racing. Keep the drivers, keep the engineering... Still, replacing full scale racecars? In a world of driverless cars, that might be an option. I certainly wouldn't enjoy it the same way though. Kinda like watching actual martial arts fights vs watching someone play Streetfighter-whatever.

 

Definitely wouldn't have anywhere close to the excitement of real racing with real drivers.

I don't understand watching virtual racing, but it's already growing in popularity. A few of my friends play lots of games and would literally get together and watch a bunch of pro gamers play first person shooters. They own the same game, why not play it yourself I wonder?

Similarly I enjoy my sims, wouldn't watch a ''pro'' sim event though. When I have the time again I'll probably join a league to race in, that way you'll race against people that do race fair.

 

I agree. Watching sims or gaming is incredibly boring to me.

I could see robot racing having a good application for gambling. Vegas or Macau. You could run these things all day and make millions.

 

Who gives a **** about robocrap?