The Formula SAE Italy & Formula Electric Italy is a university competition that involves engineering faculties from around the world engaged in the design and construction of single-seater competition car prototypes powered by combustion (Class 1C), electric (Class 1E), and since 2018, driverless systems (1D), adhering to the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) regulations with some adjustments, especially for the participation of autonomous vehicles.

During the event, teams face various challenges divided into two main categories: static and dynamic. Static challenges include Design (presentation of the overall vehicle design work), Business (simulation of a project presentation in front of a potential investor audience), and Cost (analysis of the cost report produced by the teams, detailing quantities of materials and vehicle components used). These challenges involve teams being evaluated by experts in each of the three sectors, further divided into committees.

Dynamic challenges take place on the track and include Acceleration, Skid Pad, Autocross, and Endurance. The latter is the final test (22 km on the track with a driver change) aimed at assessing the overall performance of the individual competing vehicles.

Teams participating in the so-called “Class 3” present only the vehicle project without a prototype. This event spread across Europe in the early 2000s, following the example of the U.S. event that had its first edition in 1981. In Italy, the Formula made its debut in 2005, organized by ATA (Technical Association of the Vehicle). After 12 editions, in 2017, ANFIA takes over the event from ATA and organizes the 13th edition of Formula SAE Italy & Formula Electric Italy for the first time, which in 2018 adds the driverless class.

The 2017 edition saw the participation of 80 university teams (a 15.9% increase compared to the previous edition) from 23 different countries, involving around 2,600 students. Major companies in the automotive and motorsport sectors took part in the event, some with their representatives in the juries (over 100 experts in total) or the technical verification team, and others (21) as sponsors and technical partners. The event provides interesting opportunities for automotive and motorsport companies, including recruiting newly graduated engineers as junior resources, networking, B2B activities, promotional brand exhibition, and active participation in technical juries and technical verification teams.

For the coming years, ANFIA’s goal is to grow the event both in terms of the number and level of participants and the quality of organization. Formula ATA