| Volkswagen of America, Inc. has | | | | Duo processors with multiple processing |
| announced recently that it will | | | | units per chip and with the addition of |
| participate in this year's DARPA Urban | | | | the software developed at the Stanford |
| Challenge with Stanford University on | | | | Artificial Intelligence Lab makes the |
| November 3, 2007. The entry of VW for | | | | Passat wagon truly autonomous. |
| the said competition is its completely | | | | Dr. Carlo Rummel executive director of |
| autonomous 2006 diesel-powered Passat | | | | Volkswagen of America's Electronics |
| wagon which is equipped with only the | | | | Research Laboratory commented "After our |
| best auto parts that Europe's largest | | | | victory at the last DARPA Grand |
| automaker can provide. As a fact even | | | | Challenge, Volkswagen is excited to join |
| its Volkswagen valve cover gasket was | | | | the 2007 DAPRA Urban Challenge. We see |
| specially made just for the Passat | | | | an opportunity to further advance |
| wagon. | | | | intelligent technologies for use in |
| The highly mechanical Passat will | | | | passenger vehicles of the future. The |
| compete on a 60-mile simulated urban | | | | features developed for the Urban |
| course that would include merging with | | | | Challenge will ultimately make driving |
| traffic, negotiating with busy | | | | safer and more enjoyable in today's |
| intersection and crossing traffic | | | | increasing dense traffic." Dr. Rummel |
| circles while keeping with the traffic | | | | also added, "With the fuel efficient |
| laws. | | | | Passat, we have the perfect vehicle for |
| The Passat wagon which is named Junior | | | | the job; just like our Touareg 'Stanley' |
| is a tribute to Leland Stanford Jr. who | | | | was for the desert race in 2005." |
| is the founder of Stanford University. | | | | It should be noted that for the 2005 |
| It is equipped with electromechanical | | | | DARPA Grand Challenge Volkswagen was |
| power steering and electric throttle, | | | | able to win the two-million dollar grand |
| gear shifter and parking brake. The | | | | prize with its diesel powered Touareg |
| electric system and the brakes of the | | | | named Stanley. The Touareg defeated 22 |
| Passat wagon were modified by Volkswagen | | | | unmanned vehicles in a drooling, |
| of America's Electronics Research | | | | 132-mile championship race which |
| Laboratory to turn it into a complete | | | | includes driving through rough desert |
| computer controlled vehicle. Similarly | | | | roads, dry lake beds and tunnels, |
| the custom mountings for its array of | | | | mountain trails, and using only onboard |
| sophisticated sensors were specially | | | | navigation and sensors. Touareg was able |
| created and built at the ERL. The brain | | | | to finish the race after 6 hours 35 |
| of the car is comprised of Intel Core 2 | | | | minutes with very little effort. |