[ExI] robot races

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of BillK via extropy-chat

>-------------------------------

News report here - with videos.
<https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/27/24142989/a2rl-autonomous-race-cars-f1-abu-dhabi>
...

During the trials, cars randomly juked:
Or spun:
Or turned into walls:
Or just pulled off the track to take a little break:
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>...But they did eventually complete the race.
Good practice run for everybody!

BillK

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BillK, it was appalling but fun to watch.  It reminded me of the first DARPA Grand Challenge in 2004, where every damn thing went wrong.  They all looked stupid.

But a year later, a bunch of them did not suck at all.

So... a year from now, we get to see some real robo-Formula 1!

Plenty of other proles will get the same idea I did: we can scale these babies down so that we don't need those million dollar Formula 1 motors with their fuel guzzling habits.  We can use factory-produced Hayabusa engines or maybe the Mercury 225 outboard motor, both of which produce buttloads of power but cost 4 digits.

https://www.ebay.com/b/Motorcycle-Scooter-Complete-Engines-for-Suzuki-Hayabusa/171108/bn_1488610

The Busa comes with an integrated transmission already set up for speed, so we could set up and make a half-scale Formula 1 car perhaps, cheap enough so that the average Joe could race.  It wouldn't even burn up all that much fuel, and runs on regular gasoline rather than F1 nitromethane and such.  Hell I bet I could weld together a frame strong enough to handle that torque.  I would set it up with a solid rear axle, chain drive.  I bet I could come in under 500 kg, haaaauuullll aaaaasssss around that track.  Well, not "ass" exactly.  But haul electronics, go fast, have fun.

spike