Marty is a self-driving, electric DeLorean that drifts like a pro

Great Scott!

Stanford University engineers successfully made a converted 1981 DMC DeLorean (yes, the Back to the Future car) drift, twist, turn, and crush a kilometer-long obstacle course — without a driver controlling the car.

At a race track north of San Francisco, Stanford Dynamic Design Lab engineers recently conquered the course, dubbed “Martykhana,” a mix of Marty and “gymkhana,” an autocross speed test involving obstacles. The car didn’t need any driver assistance as it followed the programmed route set from a laptop. Marty McFly would be impressed. Maybe.

This particular race was supposed to help autonomous vehicles handle hazardous maneuvers and out-of-control situations instead of the usual, straightforward driving experience. 

For more about Marty and the lab’s research, Stanford has all the details.