About Us
The Columbia Engineering Autonomous Racing Team is a student-run, interdisciplinary organization bringing autonomous racing to Columbia University. Our team unites students from computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, data science, and many other departments to work collaboratively on the digital and algorithmic side of racing.
We are organized into specialized sub-teams including Perception, State Estimation, Path and State Planning, Control, Simulation, and Integration. Together, these teams focus on building robust, reliable, and high-performance autonomous racing systems, pushing the boundaries of what student-led autonomous platforms can achieve.
Our goal is to put Columbia on the map in autonomous racing by developing strong technical foundations and translating theory into real-world, high-stakes applications. Racing provides a uniquely demanding environment that requires precision, robustness, and system-level thinking—making it an ideal testbed for autonomous vehicle development.
The team was founded by two students with prior autonomous racing experience from ETH Zurich and Delft University of Technology, where autonomous racing has a strong and established presence. Drawing from this European ecosystem, we aim to bring the culture, rigor, and ambition of autonomous racing to the United States and establish a lasting impact at Columbia.
Beyond competition, the club serves as a learning platform for students interested in autonomous vehicles, robotics, and advanced control systems. Members gain hands-on experience applying what they learn in class to real engineering problems, while also developing skills in teamwork, system integration, and technical communication.
We are also committed to building strong connections with industry. Through networking events and collaborations with companies, we aim to provide students with opportunities to engage directly with professionals working in autonomous driving and related fields.
The Columbia Engineering Autonomous Racing Team is fully student-run, with its direction and goals shaped by its members. As we grow, we plan to compete internationally and collaborate closely with Delft University of Technology to deploy and benchmark our strategies in competitive environments.
Our long-term vision is to build a sustainable, student-driven organization that advances autonomous racing, develops future leaders in autonomy, and establishes Columbia as a key contributor to the field.