Looking Ahead: Building an Electric, Autonomous Prototype

After another intense Shell Eco-marathon season, the team is already setting its sights on the future — and it's an exciting one. In the coming year, Formula LAM will begin work on an electric, autonomous prototype, marking a major new chapter for the team. The project brings together two big challenges under one roof. On the electric side, we'll be developing an efficient powertrain and battery system, building on everything we've learned about squeezing the most out of every unit of energy. On the autonomous side, our informatics and electronics teams will take on perception, control, and navigation — teaching the car to sense its surroundings and drive itself safely around the track. It's a project that touches every part of the team: mechanics designing the platform, electronics engineers wiring up sensors and control systems, software developers writing the autonomy stack, and everyone in between. Building on the telemetry and live-tracking tools we developed this season, we're excited to push our technical skills further than ever before. The road ahead is ambitious, and there's a lot to learn — but that's exactly why we do it. Follow along as we design, build, and test our electric autonomous prototype over the coming year. Interested in being part of it? Check out our Join Us page to see how you can get involved.