Discover how Politecnico di Milano and Maserati are redefining the concept of driving with a future-facing achievement
The Aida project is a novel innovation in the world of autonomous driving technology, seeking to transform the future of mobility through a collaboration between Aida and Politecnico di Milano. The project developed autonomous Maserati MC20 sports cars, comprising both coupe and convertible versions. The MC20 coupe achieved a historic milestone with a speed of 177 mph at the Piacenza-San Damiano air base runway in Italy.
Technology and innovation
The Aida project aims to employ artificial intelligence technologies in the mobility sector to facilitate the movement of individuals in congested cities and overcome traditional obstacles. The project focuses on four main pillars: high-speed driving and racing, urban civic life, and commercial purposes. Despite the ambitious nature of the mission, the project organizers believe that building public trust in self-driving cars takes time, alongside appropriate infrastructure and well-considered policies.
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The autonomous driving experience
Aida collaborated with Maserati to create two cars: the first is the MC20 coupe dedicated to ultra-high-speed driving, and the second is the MC20 Cielo convertible tailored for urban roads. Sensor upgrades such as lidar, cameras, radars, and GPS devices were added to the convertible version, enabling it to tackle complex challenges on crowded streets. Aida notes that its efforts are not limited to sports cars, but also include compact vehicles like the Fiat 500 to provide diverse mobility solutions.
The future of autonomous driving
Aida aspires to set a new record in the upcoming period at Cape Canaveral in the United States using the autonomous MC20 coupe. All of this high-speed research aims to achieve safe and advanced technology that can be utilized in cities. The project organizers explain that final solutions will be implemented first in major European cities, focusing on enhancing shared transport to reduce congestion and pollution.
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Challenges of societal adoption
Despite the enormous capabilities of autonomous driving, a challenge remains in convincing people of the safety of these technologies. The Aida team points out that many people may not readily welcome giving up traditional driving, particularly given the need to share vehicles among users. The team believes that the ideal medium-term solution lies in providing autonomous vehicles that can be summoned or driven manually according to user preference.
Aida’s achievements open the door wide to a qualitative shift in the future of transportation. With growing urban needs and increasing congestion, autonomous cars could become an ideal way to reduce the daily strain for commuters. Despite the challenges, efforts continue to elevate these technologies to the required level of safety and efficiency, in the hope that we will one day see self-driving cars become a reliable daily choice for everyone.
