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