China’s Chang’an set a new Guinness record on Nov. 28, staging a rather original parade on its Chongqing test tracks. The automaker has lined up 55 stand-alone versions of its CS55 SUV models, each separated from the others by a width of no more than twice its size.
Driving at 30 km / h, they took 9 minutes and 7 seconds to complete a 3.2 km course. A world first. As a safety measure, pilots were on board. But they were forbidden to touch the controls. A 56th car was also disqualified for this reason.
To achieve this feat, the engineers had to modify certain characteristics of the vehicles. The detection capabilities of white lines and other cars have been improved, allowing them to identify their positions to the nearest centimeter.
In addition, the event taking place on a track, conditions were conducive to a record. No obstacles were on the road, except, sometimes, a few cameras, which the SUVs had been prepared to avoid if necessary. The absence of danger allowed the teams to reduce the regulatory safety distances between each vehicle. One way to make the record even more impressive.