A2RL Abu Dhabi: World’s Biggest Autonomous Car Race
The world’s largest autonomous car race takes place in Abu Dhabi on 15 November, when 11 teams from around the globe push robotics, autonomy and AI to the limit for a US$2.25 million prize pool. A2RL Season 2 has been 18 months in the making, and the six fastest teams have fought their way through a strict qualification process to reach the Grand Final. Ticket allocation for the Yas Marina Circuit event has once again filled the main grandstand, as motorsport and technology enthusiasts prepare to witness an AI racing competition unlike any other.
The A2RL Grand Final gives fans a front row seat to AI history, as six fully autonomous racecars compete wheel-to-wheel on track for the very first time. Officials selected the six Grand Final teams - TUM, Unimore, Kinetiz, TII Racing, PoliMOVE and Constructor - through a rigorous qualification process in October. Representing Germany, Italy and the UAE, they will contest a 20-lap, multi-car race to decide the A2RL Season 2 Champion. Reigning champions TUM have secured pole position after a fierce Multi-Car Qualification sprint race against rivals Unimore, setting the stage for a historic showdown in Abu Dhabi’s premier autonomous car race.
Organisers will host a Silver Race for the remaining five teams, giving them the chance to push their algorithms to the limit and cement their overall position in the A2RL standings. The Silver Race lineup features RAPSON, Code 19, Fly Eagle, FR4IAV and TGM Grand Prix, all eager to showcase their latest advances in driverless racing performance and AI control.
Pre-season build-up has delivered a record-setting pace as the gap between human and AI performance continues to close. During qualification, the Italian team Unimore became the first to beat the benchmark lap time set by a human racing driver during testing. This breakthrough highlighted how quickly AI racing software learns and improves when teams refine their models and race strategies.
Race day will showcase this clash of machine precision and human instinct, along with the rapid evolution of AI performance. Reigning champion TUM will race against former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat in A2RL’s second Human vs AI showcase, giving fans a direct comparison between elite human talent and cutting-edge autonomous driving. Fans can expect a close battle in this exhibition, following the record-breaking pace teams demonstrated during qualifying runs at Yas Marina Circuit.
Kicking off the evening’s main events, Group 63 will take to the track for spectacular Supercar Parade Laps that set the tone for the high-speed autonomous racing action to come. Afterwards, organisers will present awards for the A2RL STEM Competition, which brought together 140 students from all seven Emirates to race AWS DeepRacer 1/18th-scale autonomous cars, a miniature mirror of the full-scale A2RL competition that helps inspire the next generation of AI and robotics engineers.
This year’s world-class Fan Zone offers an immersive experience for visitors of all ages, extending the excitement of autonomous innovation beyond the track. The Fan Zone features humanoid robot showcases, interactive games, hands-on tech activations, live entertainment and family-friendly attractions that let fans explore AI, robotics and autonomous vehicles in a fun and engaging way.
Broadcasters will air the race globally on Sunday, 16 November at 3 PM GST, via the Abu Dhabi Media Network, StarzPlay, Motorsport TV and the official A2RL YouTube channel. Once again, fans can step straight into the action with A2RL’s live VR platform, experiencing the Yas Marina Circuit from new perspectives, following live car data and feeling the high-speed autonomous racing unfold all around them in real time.
SteerAI supports A2RL, alongside leading partner du; official partners AWS and Abu Dhabi Mobility; official supporters Wio and Castore; technical partners PACETEQ, Live in Five, Meccanica 42 and Vislink; and event partners Abu Dhabi Gaming, Miral and the UAE Cybersecurity Council. Together, these partners help drive the future of autonomous motorsport, AI racing and intelligent mobility from Abu Dhabi to the world.
