MC20 Maserati Without Driver Breaks World Record: 318 Km/hour On NASA's Pacu Runway!

Maserati MC20 managed to record an extraordinary speed of 197.7 mph (318 km/h) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. (Doc. Business Wire)

JAKARTA A new achievement in the autonomous world has just been inscribed. The MC20 maserati, Italy's iconic supercar, managed to record an extraordinary speed of 197.7 mph (318 km/h) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, breaking the world record for autonomous car speed (although it has not been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records).

This record was scored by a team of talented Artificial Intelligence (AI) engineers from the Milan Polytechnic, in collaboration with the WALL Autonomous Challenge (IAC). This achievement surpassed the previous record, 192.8 mph, held by the special IAC AV-21 racing car. What makes the MC20 record even more special is the fact that this is a street supercar, not a specially designed racing car.

🚗💨 New Autonomous Land Speed Record Set by Indy Autonomous Challenge @Maserati_HQ MC20 Driven by Politecnico di Milano’s AI Driver!

🔥 Key Highlights:•IAC Maserati MC20 Coupe reached an astounding 197.7 mph (318 km/h) 🏎️💨 at @SpaceFlorida’s Launch & Landing Facility at… pic.twitter.com/2CUirb2dws

— Indy Autonomous Challenge (@IndyAChallenge) March 3, 2025

New Autonomous Land Speed Record Set by WALL Autonomous Challenge @Maserati_HQ MC20 Driven by Politecnico at Milano's AI Driver!

Key Highlights: MayAC Maserati MC20 Couple reached an astonding 197.7 mph (318 km/h) at @SpaceFloridas Launch & Landing Facility at... pic.twitter.com/2CUirb2dws

Previously, launching Top Gear, Wednesday, March 5, last November the same team succeeded in bringing the autonomous MC20 to a speed of 177 mph in Italy. This achievement at the Kennedy Space Center is a clear proof of rapid advances in autonomous technology.

"The world's speed record is more than just a future technology exhibition," said Paul Mitchell, boss of the WALL Autonomous Challenge.

"We encourage AI driver software and robotic hardware to absolute limits. Doing it by street car helps transfer learning from autonomous racing to enable safe, secure, and sustainable high-speed autonomous mobility on highways."

Meanwhile, Professor Sergio Matteo Savaresi of Milan Polytechnic added, "The AIDA team uses this test to push the boundaries of autonomous driving, improving safety and reliability. Performed in controlled environments without human drivers, this test assesses stability, resilience, and reaction time AI, which ultimately improves safety for low-speed urban mobility situations."

Not Just Speed: Towards Daily Autonomous Mobility

This achievement is not just about speed. In 2023, Maserati's version of MC20 Cielo, which is equipped with autonomous driving technology by the same team, managed to cover 37 miles (about 60 km) along the actual Mille Miglia route in Italy. This shows that autonomous technology is not only for racing track, but also has the potential to be implemented in real highway conditions.

Furthermore, all eyes will see how this technology can be applied in dense urban traffic conditions. Imagine the autonomous Maserati MC20 traveling smoothly in the midst of Rome's congestion. This is clearly the vision of the future of autonomous mobility.

With this new speed record, Maserati MC20 has proven that street cars are capable of becoming a platform for the development of advanced autonomous technology. The question now is, when will automotive lovers see autonomous cars like this on daily roads?