Ask About This ArticleThe robotic Passat will compete on a 60-mile mock urban course. But this is not an ordinary course because it involves merging with traffic, crossing traffic circles and negotiating busy intersections while following traffic laws. The Passat wagon was named 'Junior' in respect to the founder of Stanford University by the name of Leland Stanford Jr.
The Passat is equipped with electromechanical power steering and electric throttle, gear shifter and parking brake. To be completely computer-controllable, these electric systems as well as the brakes were modified by the Volkswagen of America's Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL). Also designed and built at the ERL were custom mountings for the wide array of sophisticated sensors. Making up the car's "brains" are Intel Core 2 Duo processors, including multiple processing units per chips. The car will be truly autonomous together with the software developed at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL).
Dr. Carlo Rummel, Executive Director of Volkswagen of America's Electronics Research Laboratory said after their victory at the last DARPA Grand Challenge, Volkswagen is excited to join again for the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. He further said he is seeing an opportunity to further advance intelligent technologies for use in passenger vehicles of the future and the features developed for the Urban Challenge will ultimately make driving safer and more enjoyable in today's increasingly dense traffic.
Rummel added that with Passat as a fuel efficient vehicle, they have the perfect vehicle for the job; just as the Touareg 'Stanley' was for the desert race a couple of years ago.
In 2005, Volkswagen brought home the two-million dollar grand prize at the DARPA Grand Challenge with a diesel powered Touareg named Stanley. The car defeated 22 other unmanned vehicles in a rigorous, 132-mile championship race over rough desert roads, mountain trails, dry lake beds and tunnels. What VW is proud of is Stanley s using of only onboard sensors and navigation equipment. Stanley performed flawlessly and achieved victory after six hours and thirty five minutes.
Founded in 1998, the Volkswagen of America Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) focuses on providing customers with smarter cars, sooner. It aims to identify new technologies, such as a VW accessory and accelerate their development into future production vehicles. Located in Palo Alto, California, the ERL is the only laboratory of its kind representing the Volkswagen Group in North America. Its presence at the center of Silicon Valley allows the Volkswagen Group to work directly with the world's leading high technology companies and start-ups. Working closely with these partners allows the ERL to design and develop innovative features and applications, which are then integrated with Group vehicles for evaluation and testing.
Tags: power steering, passenger vehicles, traffic laws
