Vehicle Technology

Indy Autonomous Challenge: Hyper-Fast Robo Cars Return to CES

Overview The CES Tech Talk podcast, now in its sixth season, features interviews with industry experts who bring you an insider’s look at what to expect at CES 2023 in January. New episodes drop weekly; subscribe via your favorite podcast platform to get the latest updates. This week’s episode features updates and teasers about the Indy Autonomous Challenge, higher tech and faster than ever.

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) is back for another jaw-dropping display January 7 of what robot technology can do for driverless speed and precision. But don’t expect a repeat of last year’s CES display, as exciting as it was. This January’s competition at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) will showcase tech advances in the works for months, and realized in autonomous racecars attaining speeds well above 180 MPH. IAC President Paul Mitchell tells host James Kotecki all about it in episode 2 of the CES Tech Talk podcast, Indy Autonomous Challenge: Return of the World’s Fastest Robo Cars.    
 

Takeaways

 
  • The Indy Autonomous Challenge is about more than automation: It’s about high-speed and wireless communication, ultra low-latency computing, and artificial and virtual reality
 
  • The purpose is to prove extreme-case technology that performs -- reliably at very high speeds -- to accelerate the tech’s commercialization for passenger and commercial vehicles
 
  • Every IAC car is identical, using the same hardware and base software - the difference lies in the individual teams developing the software that runs the vehicles
 

They Said It

Automation opens up opportunities to go at speeds that a human driver would feel uncomfortable with, and do so safely. Human drivers in motor sport have for decades been doing things that regular humans aren't comfortable doing, and we're trying to prove that robots can do that, and then apply that same logic to real-world scenarios.

Paul Mitchell (00:00)

We're going to be looking at things like the integration of AR and VR into motor sport in ways that have never been done and, frankly, cannot be done unless you have autonomous vehicles. We're also going to be looking at transitioning from ovals [race tracks] to road courses…That changes the whole dynamic in terms of the software and the algorithms…

Paul Mitchell (25:15)

Indy Autonomous Challenge at CES 2023


Look for IAC at booth 3601, or what IAC calls the Innovation Paddock, in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Learn all about the Challenge, meet their partners and, for those unable to attend the January 7 competition at LVMS, watch via livestream at the booth. CES attendees will have the opportunity to catch the competition in person. Look for more information ahead of the show.
 

Paul Mitchell, President, Indy Autonomous Challenge


In addition to his role since 2019 as IAC president, Paul Mitchell is president and CEO of Energy Systems Network (ESN). Prior to joining ESN, he served in the office of Governor Mitch Daniels as policy director for economic development, workforce and energy. In this capacity, among other duties, he oversaw legislation, policy and program development for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Department of Workforce Development and Indiana Department of Labor. A native of West Lafayette, Ind., he holds a master’s degree in public affairs from Indiana University, Bloomington, where he graduated as valedictorian.

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