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Robots at the helm of Indy race cars

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Join correspondent Tom Wilmer at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a visit with Paul Mitchell, Chairman and President of the Indy Autonomous Challenge and their robot driven racecars.

The idea of robotic autonomous Indy racecars was incubated in 2018 when state of Indiana developed a plan to spur the emerging autonomous mobility industry. The state was blessed with a ready-made test bed, the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indy Autonomous Challenge’s racecars made their debut in the summer of 2021 when they struggled to go 30 mph. Today the robotic driven Indy cars are passing each other at 180 mph and closing in on 200 mph.

Paul Mitchell, Chairman & President Indy Autonomous Challenge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway talks with correspondent Tom Wilmer
Jillian Parks
Paul Mitchell, Chairman & President Indy Autonomous Challenge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway talks with correspondent Tom Wilmer

According to Paul Mitchell, Chairman and President of the Indy Autonomous Challenge, at present AI drivers are not on par with human drivers but unlike humans, AI drivers can race 24 hours a day to improve their skills.

Indy Autonomous Challenge race cars in lab at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Jillian Parks
Indy Autonomous Challenge race cars in lab at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

He says each car has a driver but it’s actually a team of engineers and coders representing some of the top research universities in the world.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Winner's Circle in foreground
Jillian Parks
Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Winner's Circle in foreground

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer at Indiana Motor Speedway for a visit wit Paul Mitchell to learn the rest of the story about Indy Autonomous Challenge and their robot driven Indy racecars.

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NPR
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You are invited to subscribe to the six time Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel podcast, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast DirectoryApple Podcastand more than twenty other podcast hosting sites including iHeartRadio and Spotify

Tom Wilmer produces on-air content for Issues & Ideas airing over KCBX and is producer and host of the six-time Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR podcast Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer. Recorded live on-location across America and around the world, the podcasts feature the arts, culture, music, nature, history, science, wine & spirits, brewpubs, and the culinary arts--everything from baseball to exploring South Pacific atolls to interviewing the real Santa Claus in the Arctic.
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