Roborace reveals its first autonomous racing prototype

Roborace has unveiled a prototype electric autonomous racing car, called the DevBot, which has been created to develop software for autonomous racing cars. The DevBot has the same drivetrain, sensors, systems and communication technology that will be used in the Robocar, which will be revealed later this year ahead of the inaugural Roborace motorsport season.

Roborace is a motorsport championship for autonomous electric vehicles. Races will be held prior to Formula E ePrixs, on the same circuits, during the 2016/17 Formula E championship. The self-driving cars will be racing on city tracks and at exhibitions to showcase the autonomous technology.

The DevBot has been tested at airfields and racetracks, and the car recently drove itself around Silverstone circuit. The only difference between DevBot and the Robocar is that the former has a cabin to allow a human to drive it to monitor the software in real-time and experience the hardware.

The teams taking part in Roborace will each be given time to use the car over the next six months. The DevBot has been in development for nine months and were shown for the first time during the Formula E open practice sessions at Donington curcuit in England recently.