On the NASA runway at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), the autonomous Maserati MC20 Coupe supercar set a new speed record for a self-driving car, reaching 318 km/h (198 mph). The previous record of 310 km/h (198 mph) was set in April 2022. The race was organized by the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano. The new record highlights the rapid development of autonomous driving technologies, creating prospects for improving the safety of self-driving cars.
Image credits: TechSpot, Maserati
The tests took place on a historic 4.5-kilometer runway where NASA space shuttles used to land. The race was organized by IAC, an international initiative that develops driverless driving technologies through autonomous racing car competitions. An important partner was the Polytechnic University of Milan, whose specialists developed algorithms for autonomous control. Since 2021, IAC has been holding races among driverless cars, testing AI systems in high-speed conditions.
The Maserati MC20 Coupe, an Italian supercar, was used in the tests. The model starts at $239,000. The car is equipped with a 3.0-liter V-6 Nettuno twin-turbo engine producing 621 hp and 730 Nm of torque. The rear-wheel drive transmission includes an eight-speed robotic gearbox with two clutches. These characteristics provided the necessary level of dynamics to achieve the record speed.
The car was controlled by a system developed by PoliMOVE-MSU, the Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous (AIDA) unit at the Polytechnic University of Milan. The AI analyzed the environment, calculated the optimal parameters for acceleration, braking and trajectory adjustments. During the test, the algorithms worked in extreme conditions at high speeds, testing the capabilities of autonomous systems at the limits of their technical capabilities.
IAC CEO Paul Mitchell noted that extreme-speed testing helps improve the safety of self-driving cars in everyday conditions. Testing algorithms in dynamically complex situations allows developers to identify potential weaknesses in the system, improving the AI’s response to sudden changes in the road environment. Sergio Matteo Savaresi, a professor at the Polytechnic University of Milan, added that the AI systems used in these tests have already been tested in the Indy Autonomous Challenge since 2021.
In addition to the record-breaking Maserati MC20 Coupe, the Maserati MC20 Cielo, equipped with a similar self-driving system, participated in autonomous testing. This supercar was involved in the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida, an event inspired by the historic 1000 Miglia race. In 2023, the MC20 Cielo covered around 60 km without human intervention as part of the classic Italian rally, demonstrating the capabilities of autonomous driving in real-world road conditions.