The UC Berkeley-led AI Racing Tech autonomous racing team will make a rare appearance at a West Coast competition this summer. The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, in Salinas, CA will be the site of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) on Thursday, July 24, 2025, leading off the NTT INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey that weekend.
“We’re thrilled to be competing right outside the Bay Area,” says Team Principal Gary Passon. “It makes it possible for more of our students, fans, sponsors, and supporters to see the team in action.”
AI Racing Tech, made up of students and faculty from UC San Diego and Carnegie Mellon University as well as UC Berkeley, will be one of eight IAC teams from around the U.S. and around the world that will be competing at Laguna Seca on July 24.
Ten miles east of Monterey, the legendary raceway dates from 1957, when the area was part of the Fort Ord Army base. The 2.2-mile circuit course is best known for its notorious “Corkscrew” turn, which features a 59-foot drop within 450 feet of track (see racing lines). The course and conditions present unique challenges to autonomous racing over level oval courses.
“Running an autonomous race as part of the Grand Prix of Monterey, on the same track and the same weekend as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES event, is a powerful testament to how far the IAC and our university teams have advanced the field of AI and autonomy,” said Paul Mitchell, CEO of Indy Autonomous Challenge, in the IAC announcement of the July 24 event.
The announcement includes information about the invitation-only summit that will precede the IAC competition, convening leading experts, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the future of AI and robotics.
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Indy Autonomous Challenge to Join Grand Prix of Monterey Weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca