DARPA Grand Challenge

The Darpa Grand Challenge was created in response to a Congressional and DoD mandate. It is a field test intended to accelerate research and development in autonomous ground vehicles that will help save American lives on the battlefield.  The Grand Challenge brings together individuals and organizations from industry, the R&D community, government, the armed services, academia, students, backyard inventors, and automotive enthusiasts in the pursuit of a technological challenge.

Oshkosh's Autonomous Vehicle
Oshkosh's Terra Max is the vehicle designed and built for the DARPA Grand Challenge

Visit the TerraMax site!

The First Grand Challenge:  Across the Mojave
The 2004 Grand Challenge field test of autonomous ground vehicles ran from Barstow, Calif., to Primm, Nev., offered a $1 million prize.  From the qualifying round at the California Speedway, 15 finalists emerged to attempt the Grand Challenge.  However, the prize went unclaimed as no vehicles were able to complete the difficult desert route.

The Next Grand Challenge
The 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge will be held on October 8, 2005 in the desert Southwest.  The team that develops an autonomous ground vehicle that finishes the designated route most quickly within 10 hours will receive $2 million.  The route will be no more than 175 miles over desert terrain featuring natural and man-made obstacles.  The exact route will not be revealed until two hours before the event begins.

For more information on the race, visit www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge.

DARPA

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is the prestigious research and development agency in the Department of Defense that has pioneered major technology and defense breakthroughs such as the Internet, Stealth aircraft, smart bombs and the pilotless Predator aircraft. For more information, visit them on the web at www.darpa.mil