INDIANAPOLIS — The University of Virginia’s Cavalier Autonomous Racing (CAVCAR) team clinched a historic victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, becoming the first American team to win the speed trial portion of the Indy Autonomous Challenge. Their autonomous race car, CAVCAR, achieved a top speed of over 171 mph and set a new record for an autonomous vehicle at the iconic track.
The UVA team, which had previously secured second place in an international race in Las Vegas earlier this year, faced formidable competition from teams representing Germany, Korea, Italy, and several U.S. universities including Michigan State, Purdue, Auburn, and the University of California, Berkeley.
Led by UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science professor Madhur Behl, the CAVCAR team engineered their unmanned vehicle based on a Dallara IL-15 chassis. The car recorded a groundbreaking lap time of 52.62 seconds around the 2.5-mile oval, achieving an average speed of 171.011 mph. The vehicle reached a peak speed of 184 mph during its final lap.
For further insights into the team’s historic achievement and a closer look at their preparations, the Engineering School offers detailed coverage, and UVA Today provides an array of images capturing the team’s performance and preparations at the renowned racetrack.
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