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Pentagon-driven robot race is back

Military-oriented research agency chooses teams for robotic challenge

LOS ANGELES: The winners of last year's Pentagon-sponsored robot race are back — this time to develop a vehicle that can drive through congested city traffic all by itself. Stanford University, whose unmanned Volkswagen dubbed Stanley won last year's desert race, was among 11 teams selected to receive government money to participate in a contest requiring robots to carry out a simulated military supply mission.

Stanford, which teamed up with the German automaker again, will enter a Passat sedan outfitted with the latest sensors, lasers and other high-tech gear. Engineers have tested the car on a closed course and will begin actual tests after scientists finish writing the program that will serve as the car's brain. "It's definitely a more challenging problem scientifically," said a team member.

The competition, slated to take place in an undisclosed location in November 2007, is supported by the Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, to spur development of military vehicles that could fight in war zones without any sort of remote control.

The robotic vehicles will have to navigate a complex 60-mile test course designed like a real city street filled with moving manned and unmanned vehicles. Participants will be tested on how well they make sharp turns, navigate traffic circles and avoid obstacles such as utility poles, trees and parked cars. The vehicles will have to obey traffic laws, change lanes, merge with moving cars and pull into a parking lot using only their computer brain and sensors.

The first vehicle that completes the mission in less than six hours will win $2 million. Second-place finishers will get $500,000 while third place will receive $250,000.

The 11 teams, made up of mostly last year's veterans, will receive up to $1 million in funding from DARPA. In turn, the agency will get licensing rights to the technology that is developed. — AP

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