A fully autonomous Maserati MC20 Coupe has set a new land speed record for self-driving vehicles, reaching 197.7 mph (318 km/h) at the Kennedy Space Center last week, the Verge reports.
The record-breaking run was achieved using self-driving software developed by Politecnico di Milano, Italy’s largest scientific-technological university. The team collaborated with the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), an organization focused on advancing autonomous racing technology.
The Maserati’s achievement surpassed the previous 192.2 mph record, set in April 2022 by an IAC AV-21 race car—also developed by PoliMOVE and the Indy Autonomous Challenge. The event took place on a 2.8-mile runway at the Kennedy Space Center, providing an ideal setting for the high-speed test.
Beyond setting a new milestone, the test served as an important stress test for autonomous driving algorithms. Engineers aimed to evaluate how self-driving software handles extreme speeds, which could contribute to improving autonomous vehicle safety on highways and city streets.
“These world speed records are much more than just a showcase of future technology,” said Paul Mitchell, CEO of Indy Autonomous Challenge and Aidoptation BV. “We are pushing AI-driver software and robotics hardware to the absolute edge. Doing so with a streetcar is helping transition the learnings of autonomous racing to enable safe, secure, sustainable, high-speed autonomous mobility on highways.”
The Maserati MC20 was chosen for its high-performance capabilities. The luxury sports car, which starts at $239,000, is equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine producing 621 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
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