| Volkswagen of America recently announced its $5.75 | | | | Stanford University's partnership can be reckoned |
| million-worth contribution to Stanford University to | | | | back when the two iconic vehicles in the DARPA |
| create the Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Lab | | | | (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) |
| (VAIL), on the latter's campus. The contribution will be | | | | Grand Challenge races with a first place win in the |
| used to aid the university's new program aimed at | | | | 2005 Grand Challenge and a second-place finish at this |
| supporting auto teaching and research. The lab will | | | | year's Urban Challenge event in Victorville, CA. |
| develop next-gen transportation solutions. | | | | "The initial focus for VAIL will be vehicle safety, mobility |
| "The VAIL will be a solid foundation on which | | | | and environmental performance," added Plummer. |
| Volkswagen researchers and Stanford scientists will | | | | "Already signed up for space in the facility are the |
| be able to find new ways to explore automotive | | | | research groups of computer science and electrical |
| technology," said Dr. Burkhard Huhnke, the executive | | | | engineering Professor Sebastian Thrun, leader of the |
| director, Electronics Research Laboratory, Volkswagen | | | | Stanford Racing Team that fielded Junior and Stanley; |
| of America, Inc. "The work done at VAIL will help to | | | | mechanical engineering Associate Professor Chris |
| further develop the future of mobility and autonomous | | | | Gerdes, whose research group is studying cleaner |
| driving that we started with our partnership on the | | | | combustion and advanced vehicle dynamics control; |
| DARPA Grand Challenge vehicles, Stanley and Junior." | | | | and communication department Professor Clifford |
| The VAIL and corresponding CarLab research and | | | | Nass, whose research studies the psychology of |
| teaching program housed at VAIL, will help to | | | | making cars safer and more enjoyable." |
| accelerate automotive-related research on campus by | | | | The VAIL facility will be housed in a new 8,000 |
| increasing the opportunities for collaborations between | | | | square-foot lot near the corner of Stock Farm Rd. and |
| VW and Stanford and by building a global community | | | | Campus Drive West. The facility will cover shared |
| of academic and industrial partners committed to the | | | | high-bay space with lifts, machine and composite |
| future of automotive research, according to The Auto | | | | shops, and meeting rooms, the reports said. |
| Channel. | | | | Additionally, it will include outdoor test-driving space. |
| "The success of Junior and Stanley in the DARPA | | | | "While the VAIL is the physical home for vehicle |
| Grand Challenge events show that when Stanford | | | | research, CarLab is the intellectual community it |
| collaborates with great partners in industry, such as | | | | houses," said Chris Gerdes, the director of CarLab. |
| Volkswagen, we can create significant new | | | | "The mission of CarLab will be to radically rethink the |
| technologies," noted Jim Plummer, the dean of | | | | automobile in order to deliver unprecedented levels of |
| Stanford Engineering. "Transportation is a vital part of | | | | safety and driver and passenger enjoyment." |
| life and our goal as engineers is to find innovative | | | | "The work done at VAIL and in the CarLab will |
| ways to meet important human needs." | | | | engage the entire Stanford community and a number |
| The VW hubcap maker will donate $2 million to | | | | of industrial partners and will generate research and |
| Stanford to build the VAIL and will provide $750,000 a | | | | teaching opportunities that are both interdisciplinary and |
| year for five years to fund research and teaching | | | | real-world in nature," said Plummer. "We look forward |
| activities in Stanford's VAIL-based CarLab, an | | | | to having a state-of-the-art facility for vehicle research |
| interdisciplinary research center. | | | | on campus, where students can help develop the next |
| The Auburn Hills-headquartered automaker and | | | | several generations of automotive transportation. |