The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that 53 of the initial 89 teams will advance to the next stage in the selection process for DARPA's Urban Challenge.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that 53 of the initial 89 teams will advance to the next stage in the selection process for DARPA's Urban Challenge.
In June, DARPA personnel will conduct site visit tests at locations across the U.S. to assess the ability of each team's autonomous vehicle to perform tasks operate safely. Vehicles will be evaluated on their ability to navigate a test course including a four-way intersection and moving traffic. This evaluation covers a subset of the abilities robots will require to complete the Urban Challenge course, including merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections, and avoiding obstacles.
"We have seen a dramatic increase in vehicle capabilities since the first Grand Challenge," observed DARPA Director Dr. Tony Tether, who added, "The ingenuity and dedication of these teams and the growth of the community in this area are phenomenal." DARPA will use the site visit evaluation to select the semi-finalists, the top 30 teams that will participate in the National Qualification Event (NQE), October 21-31. This list of semi-finalists and the location of the NQE and Urban Challenge will be announced on August 10, 2007.
"We are requiring more and more complex behaviors at each stage of the competition," noted Dr. Norman Whitaker, Urban Challenge program manager. "Site visits will be the first real test with moving traffic."
The Urban Challenge is the third in a series of DARPA-sponsored competitions to foster the development of robotic ground vehicle technology without a human operator, designed for use on the battlefield. The Urban Challenge, set for November 3, 2007, will feature autonomous ground vehicles executing simulated military supply missions safely and effectively in a mock urban area. Safe operation in traffic is essential to U.S. military plans to use autonomous ground vehicles to conduct important missions and keep American personnel out of harm's way. DARPA will award $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 awards to the top three finishers that complete the course within the six-hour time limit. The inaugural Grand Challenge was held in March 2004 over a 142-mile desert course. Fifteen autonomous ground vehicles attempted the course, but no vehicle finished. Only 19 months later, in October 2005 at the second Grand Challenge, four autonomous vehicles successfully completed a 132-mile desert route under the required 10 -hour limit.
DARPA awarded a $2 million prize to "Stanley" (pictured) from Stanford University.
Click here for full list of teams!