‘DeepRacer’ Competition Sharpens Programming Coding Skills

by Joel Mathis

Computer science students at KU extensively tested their skills throughout the spring 2021 semester with a series of races using self-driving model cars developed by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The students in Andrew Williams’ Introduction to Artificial Intelligence class spent the semester programming their cars and virtually testing the results using AWS’ DeepRacer, a cloud-based 3D racing simulator. For the races in the last few weeks of the spring semester, though, students built a real track in the atrium of the School of Engineering’s LEEP2 building, and tested their artificial intelligence programs using 1/18th-scale race cars.

“It’s a method for us to teach deep reinforcement learning—an artificial intelligence technique that allows cars to learn to drive by themselves, using their video cameras and other sensors they have,” said Williams, who at the time was a professor of electrical engineering and computer science. He has since moved on to serve as Dean of Engineering at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

In artificial intelligence, “reinforcement learning” uses reward functions—essentially, points for achieving a task—to help a machine to learn. In the case of the DeepRacer cars, students deploy code, then the car receives points for staying on the track, or for completing a lap quickly. The car responds to those points and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

“I’ve seen my car drive off the track a thousand times at this point,” Nelson said. “But as the car learns, it gets better and better.”

KU students aren’t just racing against each other. Using the 3D simulator, programmers from around the world compete in AWS’ monthly DeepRacer time trials. The top 10% of finishers in those races can advance to the company’s “Pro Division,” where qualifiers have an opportunity to compete for the AWS DeepRacer League Championship Cup, a live event that will be held in Las Vegas in December 2021.

“Every single person on my team has qualified for the pro division,” Nelson said.

Williams said the DeepRacer program gives students hands-on experience they can use when they enter the job market.

“It’s interesting, different and fun, so I think they’re more engaged,” he said. “The other thing I look at—you have companies like Tesla, Google and Amazon working on cars and trucks that can drive by themselves. This is real practical experience they can put on their resumes.”

AWS DeepRacer vehicles provide computer science students with hands-on experience in programming and artificial intelligence.