04-03-2025
Maserati MC20 Goes Almost 200 MPH With No Driver
A student team from Italy set an autonomous speed record in Florida.
They used a Maserati MC20 to go 197.7 mph without a driver.
Another MC20 then drove on public roads.
A fully autonomous Maserati MC20—i.e. one without a driver or even a remote operator—just went 197.7 mph on a 2.8-mile-long landing strip in Florida once used by the space shuttle.
The record was set by the Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous (AIDA) team of the Politecnico di Milano from Italy (which explains the Maserati).
The actual run was part of the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida, a recreation of the famous race across Italy, a version of which was held for the first time in Florida last week.
The 1000 Miglia stopped at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral as part of its tour across the Sunshine State.
The 197.7-mph run surpassed the previously held record for an autonomous car of 192.8 mph, set by Indy Autonomous Challenge and PoliMOVE at the same location in April 2022 with another driverless car, an open-wheeled IAC AV-21 racecar of the kind seen in the Indy Autonomous Challenge.
'The achievement represents a huge leap forward in high-speed autonomous driving development and showcases how the learnings of high-speed autonomous racing can transfer to street cars,' organizers said.
It wasn't just about the speed record, though.
'These world speed records are much more than just a showcase of future technology; we are pushing AI-driver software and robotics hardware to the absolute edge,' said Paul Mitchell, CEO of the Indy Autonomous Challenge and AIdoptation BV.
'Doing so with a street car is helping transition the learnings of autonomous racing to enable safe, secure, sustainable, high-speed autonomous mobility on highways.'
Perhaps even more impressive, once the autonomous MC20 coupe set the speed record, an autonomous MC20 Cielo (the convertible version) then joined the 1000 Miglia Florida cars for part of their jaunt across the state. An earlier such autonomous outing by the car completed 37 miles in the 1000 Miglia in Italy.
'The 1000 Miglia has never been just a race; it is a journey through history, a symbol of innovation, and a tribute to Italian automotive excellence,' said Massimo Cicatiello, president of EGAUSA, the organizer of the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida.
'Seeing a Maserati MC20—an icon of Italian design and performance—pushing the limits with artificial intelligence is proof that tradition and future can coexist. This first edition in Florida marks the beginning of a new chapter for the 1000 Miglia, bridging the gap between heritage and the frontiers of innovation.'
Now, if they can just get my 1961 Lancia Appia to start, I'll really be impressed.
Do you think AI is going to be driving cars in five years? Please comment below.
