VW Touareg: Self-guided Touareg featured in Smithsonian exhibit

Stanley, the winner of the DARPA Grand Challenge, is going to the Smithsonian.

This summer, in addition to superheroes at the box office, the Smithsonian will display an SUV with amazing abilities that has accomplished an extraordinary feat: without any human assistance, it is able to drive itself.

Stanley, the robotic Volkswagen Touareg that brought home the $2 million prize at the DARPA Grand Challenge in October, will be featured in the Robotics Collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History through the summer. Stanley defeated 22 other unmanned vehicles in a rigorous, 132-mile championship race over rough desert roads, mountain trails, dry lake beds and tunnels, using only onboard sensors and navigation equipment.

The DARPA Grand Challenge is an annual competition and a field test intended to accelerate research and development in autonomous ground vehicles. Stanley performed flawlessly over the 132-mile Nevada course and achieved victory after six hours 54 minutes. Nearly 200 vehicles from around the world originally entered the competition. A series of semifinal competitions narrowed the final field to 23, including Stanley.

Stanley's performance is even greater when compared to the previous year's Grand Challenge: In 2004, no vehicle completed the route or lasted longer than seven miles.

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Touareg

Source: VW Gazette

VW Touareg: Self-guided Touareg featured in Smithsonian exhibit

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