NC State preps Lotus Elise for 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge

If the Cardinal (or Tartans) think that the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge will be a gimme, they may want to sneak a peek at the looming competition. Students from NC State's College of Engineering are readying a highly modified Lotus Elise for next year's autonomous vehicle contest, and are working with Insight Technologies as well as Lotus' own engineering group to craft what's likely to be the sexiest unmanned vehicle on the track. Dubbed the Insight Racing team, the crew is loading the whip with "sensors and onboard computers that have been programmed to autonomously maneuver it through an urban setting complete with traffic, intersections and traffic circles." Moreover, the highly-coveted machine will be able to handle its own parking duties (and pose for glamour shots) when the day's done. After finishing 12th overall with just a Chevrolet Suburban in the 2005 Challenge, the Pack hopes its newfangled toy (and subsequent cornering abilities) can propel them to the top come next November.

[Walter E. Wallis @ Nov 20th 2006 1:05PM]

A pity they don't give cash prizes any more. The prize never was enough to pay the costs, but money talks better than a trophy.

[bigrock @ Nov 20th 2006 11:41AM]

if this car wins, can it be our new football coach?

[Scott @ Nov 20th 2006 11:44AM]

Haha, no joke.

[matt @ Nov 20th 2006 12:53PM]

I know a few people on the team and i followed it last year. Im really looking forward to seeing what theyre gonna do with the new vehicle.

[Darren @ Nov 20th 2006 12:02PM]

I feel your pain. Maybe Coach Lowe can pull off some miracles to ease the sting of football season.

[Paul @ Nov 20th 2006 12:43PM]

I want one of these cars.

Now.

[Chris @ Nov 20th 2006 2:28PM]

I'm not sure it's the best choice of starting point... the boot/trunk isn't going to take much to fill it - don't forget most Grand Challenge cars were SUV's (or bigger) full of computers. There's no power steering to help out and the gearbox is manual so there's extra work to do there too.
It is a great car though. I've got one :-)

[Jeremy @ Nov 20th 2006 1:17PM]

Doc Brown: "They way I see it, if you're going to build a robot out of a car, why not do it with some style."

[allen Gragg @ Nov 21st 2006 1:35AM]

Go PACK!! '93 Alum now living in South Florida. Love stickin it to all the FSU fans down here when we beat 'em. Too bad we can't beat anyone else. Awesome seeing Philip Rivers get a win last night with Chargers.

[Chris McDowell @ Nov 20th 2006 2:38PM]

A power steering pump and motor would not be hard to put in. You can also interface directly with the transmission all you would need is a stepping motor mouted to a press so that it can slide the linkage shifter in and out and rotate it to pickup the gears.

[Chris @ Nov 20th 2006 3:39PM]

I didn't say it can't be done, just that it's extra work outside the original problem. (stepper motors have the wrong torque characteristics for the application)

[Juaquin @ Nov 21st 2006 3:03PM]

Finally - I've been waiting to see some drift action in DARPA.

[Aaron @ Nov 20th 2006 4:00PM]

Use an SUV, or do extra work and get a Lotus Elise? Hmm... That sure is a tough one there...

I wonder if at any point during testing they will program it to do donuts in the parking lot or at least burn the tires when it starts.

"Sorry professor, I know we can't waste any more money on new tires but the clutch just isn't cooperating..." If I was on the team I would get kicked out so fast but oh, it would be so worth it.

[Chris @ Nov 21st 2006 1:12AM]

Ummmm... Anyone else find it strange that someone said "I want one of these cars?" I mean, you don't even get to ride in it... much less drive it...

[jessew @ Nov 21st 2006 11:47PM]

As far as sheer performance is concerned, sure this thing can corner but wouldn't something that is more predictable at it's limits be more ideal for AI? I'm thinking Subaru.