A few weeks ago, at the iconic Texas Motor Speedway, teams from across the IT Channel came together to test the power of autonomous machines in an exciting race around the track. Exciting as the Indy Autonomous Challenge – powered by Cisco was itself, the most important part of the entire event was the demonstration of the powerful technologies that are enabling a more automated future for the entire industry.
“The Indy Autonomous challenge is a unique opportunity for the channel to demonstrate some of our most exciting technology in an equally exciting way,” Howard Orocu, Product Business Manager for Cisco IoT at TD SYNNEX, told EDGE360. “As far as ways for our partners, universities, and anyone else in this space to demonstrate the value and potential of these technologies, this is one of the best because it requires a lot of interconnected software and hardware communicating together.”
The winning team during the most recent event, PoliMOVE, demonstrated its technologies’ ability to operate not only at high-speeds topping 140 mph, but also in adverse and challenging conditions. It was a cold and wet day in Fort Worth, Texas, which Prof. Sergio Savaresi, team lead of Politecnico di Milano, said provided critical testing under adverse conditions: “We had the scary, but thrilling, opportunity to see in action our AI driver perform very critical high-speed crash-avoidance maneuvers.”
While the implications for autonomous racecars are apparent in applications like autonomous vehicles, there are important takeaways for the entire IoT industry and the IT channel by and large. According to Paul Mitchell, President of the Indy Autonomous Challenge, “[The track conditions] proved the robustness of the AIs… and the durability of the hardware provided by our industry sponsors.”
In attendance at the event were nearly 1,800 participants from local robotics, AI, and STEM clubs, as well as other interested students as part of the Cisco STEM Zone. “It was inspiring to hear how excited [those participants] were about what’s a possibility with connectivity and automation,” said Wes Sylvester, Vice President for Industry Solutions Group at Cisco.
“I’m confident that with the power of Cisco technology and the enthusiasm from younger generations, we will continue delivering next-gen automation capabilities not only in transportation, but also in industries like manufacturing, mining, pots, and more,” Sylvester added.
In the end, an event like the Indy Autonomous Challenge is one of many novel and unique opportunities in the channel for the industry to demonstrate the power and potential of its next-generation solutions.
“That is something that we at TD SYNNEX are committed to providing,” Orocu told EDGE360. “There are many things on the horizon for people who are interested in showing off their tech, and I encourage anyone who wants to participate to reach out to find out more. TD SYNNEX is grateful for Cisco’s passion and for the opportunity to partner with them and our customers on this incredible event. The entire channel is better off when we can bring much needed attention to not just our cutting-edge technology, but also the next generation of innovators who will lead the charge for many years to come.”
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