Are you interested in a self-driving car race?

Tomorrow, the A2RL will host a car race at the Yas Marina Circuit… but without human passion.

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 15, 2025, the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi will host the final of season 2 of the A2RL, a championship of fully autonomous cars. Eleven teams from different countries will compete for a prize pot of $2.25 million. Six race cars, entirely driven by artificial intelligence, will set off for 20 laps while a “Human vs AI” demonstration will pit F1 driver Daniil Kvyat against the algorithms from TUM.

For motorsport fans, the question immediately arises: what is the true flavor of a race devoid of the human factor? The cars, strictly identical in design, will follow trajectories optimized by calculation, with mechanical precision without fail, but without the suspense, the unexpected or the courage that give classic competition its spice. Every overtake, every hard braking, every instinctive reaction from the driver — so many moments that make the stands roar — disappears behind lines of code. So what is the point of this spectacle?

Some will see it as a fascinating technology laboratory. The rapid evolution of algorithms, the confrontation between machines and humans, and the challenge of coordinating multiple autonomous cars on a track are undeniably impressive from a scientific standpoint. AI’s progress to the point of rivaling a former F1 driver is a strong signal for the future of robotics and autonomous mobility.

For others, the event has the feel of a tech fair, spiced up with supercar parades and interactive fan zones, but lacking the dramatic tension inherent to motorsport. The spectacle, despite its modernity and immersive aspect, can leave a sense of artifice: a sterilized competition where human emotion has been entirely removed.

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The A2RL marks a turning point in demonstrating AI’s capabilities, but it also questions the very meaning of “race” when instinct and courage no longer have a place in it. Everyone can form their own opinion tomorrow by following the event on the A2RL’s YouTube channel. Cutting-edge laboratory or high-tech attraction? The two faces of modern speed will meet on the track.

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