Stanford University's Dynamic Design Lab presents the world's first autonomous figure 8 drift

Here, we see MARTY, the autonomous electric DeLorean, repeatedly execute a highly dynamic figure 8 drifting maneuver. During the rapid transitions between +/- 40 degrees of drift angle, the vehicle steers lock-to-lock in about a second, reaching yaw rates as high as 120 deg/s. This new version of the controller uses real-time estimation of friction and other vehicle parameters to improve accuracy and robustness. The motion plan is formulated using a nonlinear optimization scheme that takes into account both the highly coupled dynamics and limited actuation. By studying how to control a vehicle in these extreme situations, the researchers are helping to make autonomous vehicles safer. For more information, please see the Dynamic Design Lab's website: http://ddl.stanford.edu