Driverless ‘Roborace’ car makes street track debut in Marrakech | CNN

CNN
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It is an advanced vehicle that developers predict will revolutionize our cities and transform our lifestyles.

The autonomous “DevBot # 1” recently made its debut in Morocco, causing a stir at the Formula E Marrakech ePrix.

The battery-powered prototype is being tested in Roborace, an exciting series where self-driving cars will compete on temporary city streets.

“It’s the first time we’ve driven Devbot autonomously on a Formula E track in the middle of a city street,” said Justin Cooke, Roborace representative, in an interview with CNN.

“It’s very exciting for a team that works tirelessly. These guys were working until the early hours of the morning, developing technology that no one else in the world could create so quickly and in such a challenging environment.”

Read: Fast electric car hints at a driverless future

Equipped with various sensors such as GPS, radar, and ultrasonics, along with advanced computer software, the car learns how to navigate the track quickly and avoid obstacles.

“What we’re doing is at the forefront of technology right now,” says Justin Cooke, who is also the CMO of Kinetik, the investment firm funding the project.

“There are two or three space races happening at the moment – some people are focused on going to Mars, while we are building robotic cars. It’s one of the most thrilling areas of innovation right now.”

After a successful 30-minute test in Marrakech, which is hosting this year’s United Nations climate change conference (COP22), the company plans to test two cars together with the goal of having 10 cars competing every week during the Formula E ePrix.

“Being here at COP22 as we celebrate the electric future, the driverless future – it’s a great time for Roborace,” says Cooke.

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“More than anything, we want people to be excited about technology because it will have a profound impact on our lives and our cities.”