Roborace moves closer with development car

‘DevBot’ will enable teams to develop software and experience the hardware that will be used on the ‘Robocar’

Roborace,  the driverless race series, has unveiled an intelligent, robotic, driverless, electric development car.

The primary purpose of the ‘DevBot’ is to enable teams to develop their software and experience the hardware that will be used on the Robocar.

The DevBot has a cabin that can be driven by a human or a computer allowing teams to understand how the car thinks and feels on a racetrack alongside real-time data. It is equipped with the same drivetrain, sensors, computation systems and communication technology as the Robocar designed by Daniel Simon, which will be revealed later in 2016.

The DevBot is being used to perform trials similar to those in the Roborace and will allow teams to experiment before a pre-qualifying process which begins next month.

A large number of technology, motorsport, automotive, research laboratories and university teams have applied to take part and will be given time to experience the car over the next six months before the Roborace begins in full.

The championship takes place during the 2016/17 Formula E season on city tracks and exhibitions off calendar worldwide. The DevBot will be shown to the public for the first time at the Formula E open practice sessions in Donington on 24 August.

The Roborace championship is a partnership between Formula E and Kinetik.