Inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League won by Technical University of Munich

Germany's Technical University of Munich) (TUM) has claimed victory at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), held at Yas Marina Circuit. TUM beat back the competition with its coding and engineering skills in a world-first, four-car race finale, to claim the winner’s share of $2.25 million prize pot.

All of the cars featured antennae, sensors, AI capabilities, and drive-by-wire systems instead of human drivers.

 A2RL’s customised Dallara Super Formula SF23 cars were designed to test human ingenuity and AI capability.

Each team utilized an identical Super Formula race car - the fastest open-wheel race car in the world after Formula One- adapted for autonomous racing by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a sister company of ASPIRE.

Spectators also enjoyed the riveting AI versus Human Race, where the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), pitted its autonomous car against renowned Formula One driver Daniil Kvyat.

Kvyat managed to edge past his autonomous adversary by 10.38 seconds.

Simon Hoffmann, TUM Team Principal, says: “This event has been nothing short of extraordinary, and the finale was our defining moment. We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome; it speaks volumes about our collective engineering prowess, coding expertise, and sheer determination. It's a testament to the incredible power of AI driving the evolution of autonomous mobility into the future!"

Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE, adds: “The launch of A2RL has reshaped the landscape of sports and technology, leaving a lasting impact for years to come. Moving forward, we're broadening our focus to include different vehicle types, while actively attracting top talent worldwide to showcase their mettle.”

H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Group MD & CEO of ADNOC, coomments: “Advances in artificial intelligence promise to transform every industry. The A2RL demonstrates the application of AI and as title sponsor, ADNOC is proud to help push the frontiers of science and innovation.”

A2RL 2024 was supported by ADNOC as Title Sponsor