NTHU Racing x maxon: Driving Innovation on the Track

A university racing team from Taiwan is taking on international Formula Student competitions with innovation and determination. This summer, they are heading to Europe to compete in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Germany — aiming for a top-10 finish.

As autonomous driving technology becomes more sophisticated, the team has partnered with maxon to help realize their goals.
By integrating high-performance and reliable drive solutions into key systems, they are preparing to push the limits of what student engineering can achieve on the track.

Vehicle Reveal: The 10th-Generation Race Car “THX” Unveiled

On June 13, 2025, NTHU Racing officially unveiled their 10th-generation Formula Student race car, “THX,” marking a decade of continuous innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. The new vehicle’s biggest highlight is its lightweight design, featuring a full carbon fiber monocoque chassis that cuts 40 kg from the previous generation, bringing the total weight down to just 220 kg, which is the lightest in the team’s history.

THX is also the first car to use a custom 10-inch racing tire co-developed with Maxxis, paired with newly designed electric motors and an optimized wheel assembly system. The vehicle’s control system has been fully upgraded to support real-time adjustments to steering, torque vectoring (TV), and traction control (TCS), significantly improving stability and speed on complex tracks.

Driver and dynamics team member Hsin-Hua Yang shared, “The new control system allows us to fine-tune parameters based on road surface and weather conditions, giving the driver consistent performance under all circumstances.”

Hand-built by students, THX showcases not only technological breakthroughs, but also NTHU Racing’s deep expertise in materials engineering, powertrain integration, and electronic control systems.

Team Overview

The team currently consists of about 80 members, divided into seven technical divisions and an administrative unit. They specialize in vehicle design, electronic control systems, and system integration.

Technical Challenges and Innovations

In previous competitions, the team had not successfully completed the two core autonomous driving tests AutoX and Trackdrive. To overcome this bottleneck, they installed cameras on their vehicle and integrated the YOLO algorithm. This enables the system to detect cone positions and color information in real time, significantly improving the vehicle’s ability to interpret and react to complex track conditions.

Additionally, this year marks their first use of a carbon fiber monocoque as the main structure of the car. This design not only reduces weight but also maintains the necessary structural strength, enhancing dynamic performance.

maxon Precision Drives Empowering the Steering System

To ensure accurate and stable steering for their autonomous vehicle, the team implemented maxon DCX motors and EPOS4 controllers. This setup delivers the required torque output and precise control, allowing the vehicle to handle a wide range of dynamic situations with confidence.

“maxon not only provided us with high-performance motors and controllers, but also a complete drive and motion control solution that allowed our vehicle to demonstrate stable and outstanding handling performance.”

Vision for the Future

Since its founding in 2015, NTHU Racing has transitioned from combustion-engine vehicles to electric and autonomous models, consistently pushing the limits of student engineering in Taiwan. In 2022, they became the first Taiwanese team to compete in European Formula Student events, achieving impressive results in the Czech Republic and Germany.

This year, the team hopes to increase their competitiveness among European racing teams and continue enhancing their autonomous driving technology. Their passion and innovation are fueling the next generation of intelligent mobility.