Will Artificially Intelligent Race Car Drivers Beat Human Drivers?

It is my contention that AI computer driven racecall all that "drifting" an actual motorsport, back
cars will be able to best the best efforts ofthen on the tight turns it was induced merely for
human drivers in the next few years. And soon,control, fun stuff.
unmanned aerial vehicles which are fullyYes, it is all math isn't it, I guess everything is
autonomous will be able to win a dog-fight with areally, physics, chemistry, math (including
human fighter pilot ace. I just see the writing onprobability). It's amazing how well the human
the walls really, I don't even care to debate itbody-mind adapt. I sat down with a guy who
with a "species-centric" human at this point, ascreated a motorcycle that drives by itself at the
any debates to the contrary are bathed infirst DARPA Challenge; it wobbles at first, but can
arrogance, ignorance, and boastful human pride,drive itself without falling over and negotiate
something that humans really are better at thanobstacles.
computers.Can we design a robot to drive or race a car,
Not long ago, I was discussing the joys of racingconsidering all the variables? Then have it learn as
with an acquaintance, you see I have done a littleit goes (AI) and download the information to a
"illegal street racing" in my youth, and later somecentral source, which could simultaneously update
officially approved track racing on motorcyclesthe program in all the units of that type. There
(street bikes). My acquaintance said;are some things that machines have trouble doing,
"sometimes getting sideways can be fun,and it is difficult to do it? My acquaintance makes
possesses a challenge for high speed processing,an interesting point;
full body awareness and synchronization having to"A theory I have about Time perception is if you
make yourself and machine recover straight,can slow it in your mind, you can appear to move
balancing torque and traction, rpm's and gears,faster."
calculating power by air temp and density, groundRight, this has been my experience in sports,
surface and temp, makes for some true drivingracing, flying, etc. People who smoke trick their
fun and a good stress test. Of course it helps ifminds into believing that time has slowed down
you can change your perception of time, which is(nicotine). The natural brain chemicals released
an awesome tool and in front of a crowd it canunder some circumstances obviously does
make jaws drop."something, perhaps induced by fear, adrenals, or
He was referring to the "slow-motion" trick of thewhatever transpires during intense focus + high
brain during times of high stress, adrenaline, andheart rates, etc. Maybe it has to do with brain
heart rate, perhaps you've felt that sensation, aswaves also, or a combination of things, but if we
it takes you into a different realm makingcan induce it at will, imagine the benefits to an
everything happening very fast, seem very slow.organic system in competition, battle, or under a
Now then, how much of this can we program aserious situation which was life threatening or ultra
computer to do? I'd say most all of it, thus,critical, if we could induce it, we win.
Artificial Intelligence should one day; rule the dayIn a computer system or artificially intelligent
and the race.machine, it does not perceive time at all, it
You see, I understand what my acquaintance wasprocesses as fast as it is able and puts in the
taking about here, and yes, it is amazing what thecontrols based on the situation, parameters, and
human mind can do and process very quickly. Iprogramming. It doesn't care, fear, or have the
can remember, especially in street racing onemotional adrenal rush. Thus, in some regards it
two-lane country roads when everyone ishas the advantage, perhaps in others not so
standing and watching the starting line, so, Imuch.
always tried to warn people to move back,But in the end with an ultra-fast, almost unlimited
because this thing has raw power and, quiteability to process the information quickly, and
frankly, I'd rather just stay on the gas.respond with the control input, it would be next to
Now when involved in motorcycle street bikeimpossible to beat, plus, it wouldn't ever
racing the processing, during the adrenalin rushexperience pilot error, only computer failure, or a
was awesome, and the slow-mo sensation worthprogramming flaw, which would be fixed and thus,
doing again and again. In canyon burning, sportsstronger and faster next time, and able to
car stuff, I must say sometimes I felt more indownload the better results to all the other AI
control going sideways than wondering whenrace car computers in an instant during the
"exactly" the wheels might break lose, now theyuploading process. See that point too?