Marelli and Indy Autonomous Challenge Announce Technological Partnership on Connectivity Solutions for Autonomous Racecars

Marelli to be exclusive race control technology sponsor of the IAC

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Marelli today announced that it will be the exclusive race control technology sponsor of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC). A technical partnership for connectivity solutions has been signed, based on which Marelli will supply, to all IAC fully autonomous racecars, technologies to ensure vehicle connection, race control, and data analysis and will also provide technical support. The announcement is made on the eve of the next IAC exhibition, that will be held at the Monza F1 circuit during the Milan Monza Motor Show (MIMO) which will run from 16 to 18 June.

The IAC is a series of competitions among full-scale autonomous racecars, driven by software programmed by top engineering and technology university teams from around the world, that compete on iconic tracks. A primary goal of the IAC is to advance technology for fully autonomous vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

As a global supplier of automotive technologies and a telemetry leader in motorsport, Marelli will provide essential technologies to all competing racecars through one of its advanced connectivity systems, the Smart Antenna LTE. This compact device, installed on the vehicles, ensures reliable and high-quality communication between autonomous cars and control systems, leveraging the public mobile network provided by a global telecommunications operator.

Marelli has also developed for the IAC an innovative race control software for monitoring and managing the races. The system enables precise supervision of autonomous racecars during competitions, ensuring maximum safety and performance optimization.

Furthermore, Marelli will provide the comprehensive WinTAX data analysis system package, offering essential support for interpreting and processing data collected during the races. This will enable participating universities to gain valuable insights into the performance of autonomous cars and continuously improve their driving algorithms.

The company will offer specialized training sessions to university teams for a full understanding of the features and potential of Marelli systems for the IAC. A highly qualified technical support team will also be available to address any needs and assist the IAC throughout the development and racing process. 

As part of the agreement, Marelli's logo will be featured on the livery of all vehicles participating in the IAC competitions.

"We are thrilled to apply our expertise in telemetry to the innovative front of autonomous racing vehicles" – said Riccardo De Filippi, Head of Marelli Motorsport – "We have a long tradition in supplying connectivity technologies for the main motorsport championships worldwide and are always willing to push innovation ahead with solutions that combine performance and safety. Therefore, we immediately recognized the potential of this partnership as a fertile environment for technological development."

"With a track record of innovation and excellence, Marelli is exactly the kind of partner we need and want as our exclusive race control technology provider," said Paul Mitchell, president, Indy Autonomous Challenge. "Marelli technology will allow IAC to develop a highly automated race control system that can marshal our university teams AI drivers.  This level of real-time communication and automated instructions between race control and racecars will be a first of its kind and will demonstrate an extra level of safety for AV and ADAS systems.  We are excited to have Marelli onboard to help us push the limits of autonomous driving." 

About Marelli

Marelli is one of the world's leading global independent suppliers to the automotive sector. With a strong and established track record in innovation and manufacturing excellence, our mission is to transform the future of mobility through working with customers and partners to create a safer, greener, and better-connected world. With around 50,000 employees worldwide, the Marelli footprint includes 170 facilities and R&D centers across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.  

About IAC

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) organizes racing competitions among university affiliated teams from around the world to program fully autonomous race cars and compete in a series of history-making events at iconic tracks. Based in Indiana, the IAC is working to establish a hub for performance automation in the state and is harnessing the power of innovative competitions to attract the best and the brightest minds from around the globe to further state-of the-art technology in safety and performance of automated vehicles. The IAC started as a $1 million prize competition with 31 university teams signing up to compete more than two years ago, representing top engineering and technology universities from 11 countries, including 15 U.S. states

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SOURCE Marelli