Talent development is one of UFI’s core values. As a leader in filtration, thermal management, and green hydrogen technologies, we are proud to announce a new collaboration with the MMR E-Driverless team—the youngest division within MoRe Modena Racing, a program founded and consolidated within the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
This partnership involves UFI’s support in developing the M25-DL vehicle, which is set to compete in major international Formula SAE events during the 2026 season.
Formula SAE is a prestigious competition organized by SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers), where universities from around the world compete in designing and building high-performance race cars. Originating in the U.S. in the early 1980s, Formula SAE arrived in Europe and Italy in the early 2000s, with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia among its early participants.
The competition includes several categories based on propulsion and driving systems: Combustion, Hybrid, Electric, and Driverless.
The MMR E-Driverless team competes in the Driverless category—autonomous vehicles—which in 2025 saw a significant evolution with the introduction of electric propulsion.
The Formula SAE event is more than just a weekend of racing: it spans about a week and includes both dynamic tests (such as skidpad, autocross, acceleration, and trackdrive) and static evaluations that cover design, business planning, cost analysis, as well as safety and engineering review.
Requirements vary depending on vehicle type: driverless cars must independently complete the circuit in the shortest time possible, while those with drivers face timed driving challenges.
UFI has chosen to support the MoRe Modena Racing Driverless team to foster collaboration between industry and academia—transforming ideas and passion into cutting-edge technologies, always looking toward the future.
The MMR team has already achieved excellent results in past editions:
- 3rd Overall at Formula SAE Italy 2024 (Varano de’ Melegari)
- Two international podiums in 2023 (Varano and Barcelona – Circuit de Catalunya)
In 2025, the team enters a strategic development phase to design and build the all-new M25-DL vehicle from scratch, for the 2026 competition season.
THE TEAM
Every year, over 100 university students from different departments and faculties of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia take part in this academically challenging competition. These young talents not only apply the knowledge gained during their studies but also create innovative projects that reflect their drive and passion for technology.
Each team follows a well-defined hierarchical structure, typically led and supported by a Faculty Advisor—a professor, often from the engineering faculty—who oversees the students’ work to ensure it aligns with project goals.
The students operate like a real company: a Team Leader manages operations, administration, and logistics, supported by the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), who oversees technical projects and ensures continuity with past experience.
The team is divided into operational “divisions,” each led by a Division Leader who collaborates closely with the CTO and coordinates their group members. While most team members are first-year students, many remain involved throughout their academic careers, turning this experience into a true path of personal and professional growth.
UFI has always paid close attention to the academic world and the development of new talent. This initiative reflects the company’s core values: passion for innovation and excellence, and a firm belief in the potential of the next generation.
In a fast-evolving industrial landscape, investing in young people means laying the foundation today for tomorrow’s progress.
Once again, UFI confirms its commitment to being not just an observer, but an active agent of change—concretely supporting the growth of a new generation of innovators, capable of combining vision with real-world execution.
PROJECT EVOLUTION
The MoRe Modena Racing Driverless team project was launched in 2017 as a testing ground for the development of autonomous driving. After four years of growth and research between 2017 and 2021, the team debuted a prototype that won 1st place in the FS-AI ADS Class Autonomous Design, a competition where student teams present autonomous car projects entirely developed by themselves.
In the 2022 season, the team built the M22-DL, the first functional prototype under the MMR Driverless name, which achieved 4th place in the overall ranking of its first race in Varano De’ Melegari (Italy). This result marked the beginning of their on-track experience, with the awareness of significant room for improvement.
In 2023, after intensive development and refinement of the existing car, the M23-DL was born: an enhanced evolution of the previous model capable of reaching even higher performance. It was the year the project expanded, introducing the new Vehicle Dynamics division. With the M23-DL, the team took part in its first international competitions, earning two important third places, one in Italy and one in Spain.
In 2024, the project further grew with the introduction of the Aerodynamics division, created to push the car’s performance to the next level. This evolution led to significant developments in aerodynamic flow management and improvements in vehicle reliability, through targeted work on wiring, electronic boards, and autonomous driving control algorithms.
For the 2025-2026 biennium, the ambition is even greater: to break the boundaries of electric mobility by designing a brand-new autonomous, zero-emission vehicle.
THE PARTNERSHIP
THE HISTORY
THE TEAM
