AIDA: let's talk about the future

I spent a year alongside a group of young researchers from Politecnico di Milano who are developing and testing autonomous vehicles. From this experience, AIDA was born—a 55-minute documentary I wrote and directed, which I’ve just presented at the Royal Palace of Caserta.

And I’m really happy to share the trailer with you, as a preview.

When they asked me to tell their story, I was instantly intrigued. I thought: why aren’t these cars already driving through Milan, where every bit of space is taken over by traffic?

"Mobility in Western countries has reached what I would call a breaking point—a limit." With this line, Professor Savaresi opens the film.

These researchers aren’t just imagining cars without drivers—they’re working toward something much bigger: cities where streets once again belong to people. Pollution is reduced.

The whole idea of car ownership is flipped. Mobility becomes shared, electric, autonomous.

And only through innovation like this can such a transformation happen.

But telling a story about technology on film is always a challenge. How do you visualize an algorithm? How do you make it emotionally engaging?

I chose to tell AIDA through the people behind the technology—the researchers themselves: their long nights in the lab, their discoveries, their doubts, and their moments of satisfaction. In their expressions, I found the real heart of the story: not something cold or technical, but a deeply human process made of determination, crises, and moments of joy.

AIDA isn’t a tutorial on autonomous driving—it’s the story of a team dreaming of the future, taking on challenges like the legendary Mille Miglia (driven autonomously), a hill climb, and a track speed record. Each step was a test, revealing both the practical application of this technology and the spirit of the people behind it.

Technology without purpose is meaningless. That’s why, in this film, I wanted to explore themes that affect us all: our relationship with machines, the future of cities, and climate change.

But there’s another side to this story: trusting our lives to algorithms is scary. Many people fear this kind of technology—loss of control, job displacement, privacy concerns. It’s completely normal to feel uneasy about giving so much power to artificial intelligence.

In an era where communication is increasingly fast and fragmented, with AIDA I wanted to slow down and go deeper—to open up a broader and more mindful conversation about the role of science in our lives.

So—would you get into a car that drives itself?

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Produced by Jumpp Films
Executive Producer: Alessandro Molinaro
Line Producer: Valentina Vitiello
DOP: Antonio Morra – Alessandro Tempestini
1AC / Drone Operator: Federico Grippa
Senior Editor: Serena Pighi
Post Production: EEZEE
Color Grading: Diego La Rosa
Music: Guido Smider
Sound Designer: Tommaso Barbaro