Xiaomi YU7 GT, Chinese premium The SUV, equipped with the optional Track Package, successfully completed a full lap without a driver on the legendary 20.8 kilometer long Nürburgring Nordschleife track. The vehicle achieved an officially measured time of just under 10 and a half minutes (10:29.483). This result went down in history as it was the first time that a fully autonomous vehicle, without a human presence in the cabin, completed an officially measured lap on this world-famous and demanding German track.
Autonomously through the “green hell”
During the drive, the vehicle steered itself through all 73 corners of the Nordschleife. The autonomous driving system successfully adapted to complex and changing track surface conditions, proving its ability to process and make real-time decisions on one of the most challenging race tracks in the world. The recording of this historic circuit from the cabin of the vehicle itself is available on the official YouTube channel of the Nürburgring circuit, and was made on June 8.
Strict standards
Official testing of the YU7 GT autonomous model was conducted under the same rules and standards that apply to vehicles driven by human drivers. According to the unique principle of the track – one track, one full circle, one time – the attempt to achieve the record was made with a so-called flying start. The entire process was accompanied by calibrated measuring technology, and the accuracy of time measurement and the regularity of the procedure were supervised and confirmed by a notary public.
Along with the strict control of the stopwatch, the vehicle also passed a detailed technical inspection before going out on the track. Experts from the TÜV Rheinland organization carried out a detailed inspection of the vehicle to verify and document compliance with the standards of the production model.
Although this is a pioneering attempt and the first record in the category of autonomous vehicles, the time achieved by Xiaomi’s autopilot is not overly impressive. Namely, when a professional driver was behind the wheel of an identical car, the Xiaomi YU7 GT Track Package, he passed the Nordschleife even three minutes faster, with a recorded time of 7:22.755. Therefore, there is still room for improvement, and this certainly threw down the gauntlet to other manufacturers of fast autonomous cars – so maybe we have a new battle for the Nürburgring in the announcement, this time without a driver.