A research team, led by Professor Cheolhyeon Kwon in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST announced their outstanding achievement at the ‘24th Roboracer Autonomous Grand Prix Competition,’ held in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 22, 2025. The team secured the second place among 18 international university teams competing in this prestigious event.
This year’s competition was an official side event of the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), the world’s foremost conference dedicated to advancing the field of robotics. Participants included leading universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, ETH Zurich, and the University of Bologna, among others.
Team UNICORN is preparing for an autonomous racing event. This racing vehicle features a 3D-printed horn with LEDs installed, allowing real-time monitoring of the vehicle’s status.
Team UNICORN showcased a rapid and stable autonomous driving system that incorporates vehicle-to-vehicle interaction considerations. Notably, they developed a 3D-printed horn equipped with LED indicators to provide real-time status updates of the vehicle. During operation, the system displays different colors. For instance, blue indicates unrecognized obstacles, yellow signifies following another vehicle, and red signals an overtaking attempt.
Leveraging advanced perception technology capable of reflecting variables such as frictional changes in the racing environment, Team UNICORN demonstrated exceptional driving performance. Furthermore, they utilized data from competing vehicles to successfully execute overtaking maneuvers, showcasing autonomous capabilities that go beyond basic collision avoidance and highlighting their ability to handle complex racing scenarios.
Professor Kwon stated, “This achievement affirms the global competitiveness of UNIST’s autonomous driving technology.” He further noted, “Moving forward, we aim to enhance our systems by integrating vehicle interaction and environmental factors, thereby strengthening our position in the international arena.”
The team’s success underscores UNIST’s commitment to pioneering innovative autonomous vehicle technologies and fostering research that pushes the boundaries of robotics and intelligent systems.
