Robotic car ‘Junior’ one step closer to qualifying for Urban Challenge race
The Stanford Racing Team's robotic car "Junior," a modified Volkswagen Passat, is one step closer to qualifying for the Urban Challenge, a Nov. 3 race of autonomous vehicles through a simulated cityscape.
The race is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In 2005, the Stanford Racing Team won DARPA's Grand Challenge with its autonomous car Stanley, a modified Volkswagen Touareg, which successfully traversed 132 miles of the Nevada desert.
In advance of the Nov. 3 race, DARPA slashed a field of 53 teams down to 36 by visiting each team and requiring its robot to pass a battery of tests, such as handling right-of-way at four-way stops and making U-turns.
"We are obviously in great company of 35 other strong teams," said project leader Sebastian Thrun, an associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering. "We are looking forward to the National Qualification Event."
That event, to be held on a former Air Force base in Victorville (northeast of Los Angeles) toward the end of October, will cut the field to 20 finalists.
