AWS DeepRacer League Reorganization: Welcoming New Racers

AWS DeepRacer League: A New Season of Autonomous Racing

In 2018, Amazon Web Services (AWS) initiated the DeepRacer League as an engaging platform for developers to learn about machine learning. The program has continually evolved, and today marks the announcement of the latest league season, structured around two distinct divisions: Open and Pro.

Introducing the Open and Pro Divisions

According to a recent blog post by Marcia Villalba, “AWS DeepRacer represents an autonomous racing car at a 1/18th scale, engineered to evaluate reinforcement learning models through virtual races within the AWS DeepRacer console or physical competitions at AWS events and those hosted by customers.”

The DeepRacer program is designed to be accessible to developers of all proficiency levels, even those without prior experience in machine learning. Participation in the AWS DeepRacer League provides a practical and competitive environment for gaining experience with these technologies.

Adapting to a Virtual Landscape

Initially conceived as in-person races featuring physical cars, the pandemic necessitated a shift to a virtual event format over the past year. However, this new format presented a barrier to entry for newcomers.

Recognizing the importance of attracting new participants to foster learning in machine learning, AWS has introduced the Open League. This division is accessible to anyone interested in testing their skills.

Progression and Prizes

Participants in the Open League can demonstrate their capabilities, and those achieving a top 10% ranking will qualify for competition in the Pro division. Prizes, including vehicle customizations, are available to all competitors.

Each month, the top 16 performers in the Pro League will contend for a place in the finals at AWS re:Invent 2021. The nature of the finals – whether virtual or in-person – will depend on the ongoing status of pandemic recovery efforts.

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