It might not be the fastest way around a race track, but drifting is impressive to spectate and a satisfying move to pull off. It takes plenty of practice to truly make a car dance to your will, and of course the right machine. The reborn Toyota Supra is a great candidate, but it looks like a computer might have cracked the art of drifting before you.
A couple of years ago, students at Stanford University created an electric DeLorean. Cool, right? Well, it got even better as the electrified Back to the Future star turned out to be an autonomous drifting machine. Clearly inspired by the Dynamic Design Lab’s creation, Toyota has partnered with the university for a new drifting project.
Check out this lean, mean drifting machine. The Toyota Supra looks like it was built to be a drifter from day one, and actually engineers purposely left mounting points in the production car for the aftermarket. In addition to unlisted engine modifications, its clear to see a widened track and a bespoke drifting steering rack is shrouded by enlarged bodywork. Its interior has been stripped and fitted with a professional motorsport cage. This is exactly the sort of awesome work we expect from TRD.
This Supra is also equipped with computers to initiate and sustain incredible drifts with no human input at all. Beyond this being a very cool thing to build, Toyota’s collaboration with Stanford’s Dynamic Design Lab aims to create new active safety systems. By training the computer to maintain control in extreme scenarios, it could provide the data needed for future stability control programs.
Toyota Research Institute CEO and Chief Scientist at Toyota, Gill Pratt, said: “The reality is that every driver has vulnerabilities, and to avoid a crash, drivers often need to make manoeuvres that are beyond their abilities.” He continued: “Through this project, TRI (Toyota Research Institute) will learn from some of the most skilled drivers in the world to develop sophisticated control algorithms that amplify human driving abilities and keep people safe.”
So, it looks like The Terminator will be showcasing some sweet drifts come Judgement Day.
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Keyword: This autonomous Toyota Supra can drift better than you