Posted on 31st March 2016
Yesterday, the first designs of the Roborace autonomous race car have been revealed to the media and I have to say I have never seen anything like it.
The design is the work of the newly-appointed Chief Design Officer Daniel Simon. Simon, who is renowned for his work on Hollywood Sci-Fi blockbusters such as Tron: Legacy and Oblivion. In his interview with the media yesterday, he stated that he set out to create something that took full advantage of being the first-ever racing car that doesn't need to accommodate a driver. Simon stated the following:-
My goal was to create a vehicle that takes full advantage of the unusual opportunities of having no driver without ever compromising on beauty. Racing engineers and aerodynamicists have worked with me from the beginning to strike that balance. The Roborace is as much about competition as it is entertainment. Therefore – and quite unusual in today's racing world – beauty was very high on our agenda and we work hard to merge the best performance with stunning styling.
It was important to us that we generate substantial downforce without unnecessary parts cluttering the car to maintain a clean and iconic look. This is largely made possible by using the floor as the main aerodynamic device and we are currently developing active body parts that are more organic and seamless than solutions today.
Also in an interview with the media yesterday, Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag believes that the unveiling of the Robocar is a great day for motorsport and the industry and is a showcase into the future. Agag said the following:-
Today is an historic day for motorsport, and the car industry in general. This first image of the Robocar, designed by Daniel Simon, represents a vision of what cars will be, a vision of our future. In Formula E we are proud to promote, together with pioneers like Denis Sverdlov and Daniel Simon, a revolution in the world of motorsport, a project that will change the future of mobility
The first Roborace “shows†will take place during the 2016/17 Formula E season.
Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa
