A driverless Maserati MC20 Coupe has set a new speed record for autonomous vehicles, reaching 318 km/h during an event at the Kennedy Space Center, The Verge reported.
The car ran on autonomous software developed by the Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy’s largest science and technology university. The team also collaborated with the Indy Autonomous Challenge, which recently held a race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway during CES 2025.
Against the backdrop of NASA's iconic shuttles, the race car sped down the 4.5-kilometer runway, breaking the previous record of 309 km/h, set in April 2022 by the IAC AV-21 vehicle from the Indy Autonomous Challenge and PoliMOVE.
This achievement is significant not only because it makes the autonomous race car the fastest unmanned vehicle ever built. Testing the system in extreme conditions allows us to test the reliability of autonomous driving algorithms and understand how they work at high speeds. By pushing the boundaries of what is possible, the team hopes to improve the safety of autonomous road vehicles.
"These world speed records are much more than just a showcase of future technology," said Paul Mitchell, CEO of the 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."
As for the Maserati MC20, it’s a stylish yet expensive choice for an autonomous drive. Its minimum retail price is $239,000. The car is powered by a mid-mounted 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that Maserati calls the Nettuno. This engine produces 621 hp and 730 Nm of torque, which are sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.