Watching a F1 race today, I was struck by how much technology is involved. I’m thinking that a car could be equipped and programmed to run a circuit, sans other cars, at top speed and without a driver. Including pit stops which would be manned.
I’m assuming that all controls are “by wire”.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that someone has already done so.
Question is, is it possible given today’s technology?
Four tires in under four seconds! Holy crap!
Peace,
mangeorge**
Possible, yes. Worth the price, not so much.
There is an automotive test facility near my place that has an oval that has driverless semi-trucks and motorhomes circulating at all hours. Kinda weird to see that going down.
Certainly not worth the price individually, but we do a lot of stuff like that. Much that we enjoy today comes out of that kind of experimentation.
I see promise for a system that could take over if the driver becomes no longer able to manage for whatever reason and at least bring the car to a stop in a safe place. Automatically calling for help is already a reality. An Onstar type service could even switch control to a remote station where someone would guide the car safely to a hospital.
I think gps and accelerometer technology is pretty close to that good.
AI pathfinding for vehicles is a hot topic, a simple circuit is possible, but it’s still a big race to get a good driverless vehicle going on land*. Oddly, I think racing may be easier than city driving, though, since racing involves less deciding whether you need to stop or go and is more continuous.
- I hear google is getting in on it now, attempting to make a car for the blind that runs off AI or somesuch.
Top Gear showed a BMW which “learnt” their track and then rove it witout driver input and good speed.
Video
Possible? Perhaps. But somehow I think that would kill the fun of the sport to be missing these “athletes.”
Then again, they got rid of those child jockeys in camel races, so I suppose anything’s possible!
I love that show. I hate those guys! I mean, I don’t get to do that.
Thanks antonio107, for that. Almost gave me a, you know.
Peace,
mangeorge
Nah, don’t get rid of the drivers. It would be fun though, to see an annual "man vs machine race starring thet year’s top driver. Revenge of the nerds, eh?
You don’t believe they are athletes?
I don’t see any reason it would be impossible. Unlikely to see broad use though; the danger is part of the show.
As long as they keep giving us really cool wrecks where nobody gets hurt.
Really cool wrecks are nice. But with the knowledge that nobody could get hurt, there are no drama, bloodthirst and necrovoyeuristic elements. I believe those are a major part of such sports.
Eh. Quotation marks, take 'em or leave them. I’ve never seen a fat F1 driver, but I question to what extent it’s the physicality of the body, and to what extent it’s just reflexes like playing Starcraft. If you want to call them athletes I’ll support that.
F1 drivers have to use special weight machines just to exercise their necks so they can withstand the G-Forces.
Here’s a youtube video of this year’s McLaren being controlled via Bluetooth. This isn’t strictly “driverless”, but it shows you don’t need a carbon blob in the seat to run the car.
(It comes after the bit about the guys playing with Bluetooth controlled racecars.)
I don’t see how removing the human element from the game would make for a compelling sport. At that point it is merely a technical exercise. And sure that’s part of F1, but not enough to keep it as popular as it is.
…and they have to be absurdly light. Jenson Button weighs 70kg (154 lb) being 1.81 (5’11").
That is not absurdly light. That is in the middle of the normal BMI range.
It is if you’re a guy who’s also very athelic and strong. When I was a 20 I was had basically the same numbers and was a scrawny thing.
Lol, I don’t even need to click the link. That title is perfect. I stand corrected! 
I think the real challenge would be to teach the AI to “feel” the slip of the tires for max performance. In my opinion, the lap time of a top driver would probably best the maximum of a driverless car by maybe a couple of tenths a lap (depending on circuit length) just because you can’t teach a computer to “hang it out”.