The AV-24’s performance required precise control of grip and slippage from its Bridgestone racing tyres.
The Indy Autonomous Challenge’s (IAC) self-driving AV-24 racecar set the record for the fastest autonomous hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The car is operated by an AI driver developed by Team PoliMOVE-MSU, a collaboration between Politecnico di Milano and Michigan State University.
The record was set during the AV-24’s third and final run up the Goodwood Hill, where it reached a top speed of 111.2 mph and a finish time of 66.37 seconds. The previous record, held by Roborace since 2019, was 66.96 seconds at a top speed of 101.16 mph.
The AV-24’s performance required precise control of grip and slippage from its Bridgestone racing tyres, the company says, as well as precision mapping and localization in a GPS-limited environment. The IAC and PoliMOVE-MSU teams worked with Bridgestone’s tire engineers to optimize performance. This included a visit to Bridgestone’s European Technical Center and European Proving Grounds in Rome to understand tire production and its impact on performance.
The Goodwood hill climb is known for its narrow, unforgiving course. Paul Mitchell, chairman and president of the IAC, said the Goodwood hill climb showcased the potential for self-driving vehicles to be safely deployed on roads in the future. PoliMOVE-MSU Team Principal Professor Sergio Savaresi said the achievement demonstrated that high-speed vehicular autonomy is possible even in adverse conditions.
