Rules

Event Overview & Crucial Deadlines

• The Venue: The 27th RoboRacer Competition takes place at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) at VIECON in Vienna, Austria.

• Registration Deliverables: Official team approval requires submitting a comprehensive hardware list and a 1-minute video demonstrating your car driving autonomously.

Vehicle & Hardware Specifications

• Dimensions & Weight: Vehicles must be under 5kg, with dimensions strictly capped around 296mm (width) by 568mm (length), and a maximum height of 400mm.

• LiDAR Visibility: To ensure fair multi-agent racing, cars must be easily detectable by opponents. This requires a 12x12cm LiDAR-perceivable structure (like a cardboard box) mounted on the rear.

Track Dynamics & Environment

• The Surface: The track is a highly reflective industrial concrete floor, which can introduce varied surface friction and sensor noise.

• Advanced Obstacles: The course is not just a flat circuit. It features open wall gaps, deliberate surface changes, and track splits.

Race Progression & Formats

• Inspection & Qualification: Before racing, organizers will verify your car matches your submitted hardware list. You must also pass a targeted test proving obstacle avoidance and kill-switch functionality.

• Time Trials: The first competitive phase features two heats (up to 5 minutes each). Teams are scored on fastest lap time and the highest number of consecutive uninterrupted laps.

• Head-to-Head (Double Cup): Seeded by Time Trial results, teams are split into the Classic Cup and the advanced Master Cup. Races use a Double Elimination bracket with a staggered grid start.

• Hot-Swapping Configs: You are allowed to tweak algorithms mid-heat, but the car must be brought to a complete stop using the kill-switch before any code changes are applied.

Penalties & Fair Play

• Touching vs. Crashing: Minor bumps (displacing objects less than 5cm) are permitted. A full crash requires the race to pause, the track to be reset, and the at-fault car to be placed 2 to 3 meters behind the opponent.

• Integrity of Autonomy: Switching to manual control during an active race is strictly forbidden.

• Malicious Driving: Intentional ramming, failing to brake for an opponent, or crowding another car off the track will result in severe warnings or immediate disqualification. Accumulating 3 warnings removes your team from the tournament.

Dates
RoboRacer