Self-driving "Marvin" SUV gets set for DARPA's Urban Challenge

It looks like DARPA's newly-instated Urban Challenge is shaping up nicely, with this self-driving Isuzu SUV from Austin Robot Technology and the University of Texas now joining the likes of Team LUX's Volkswagen Passat and NC State's Lotus Elise in competing for the top prize. As with those other vehicles, the SUV (dubbed Marvin) is completely autonomous, relying on an array of sensors, video cameras, artificial intelligence, and machine-learning technology to (hopefully) avoid catastrophe as it motors about. As you might guess, the Urban Challenge presents a few different obstacles for the vehicles to deal with than the Grand Challenge does, including intersections, improperly parked cars, and traffic laws that must be followed at all times. Marvin still has a ways to go before it can get a chance to drive away a few million dollars richer, however, with it required to pass a basic driving test this summer and a national qualifier in October before it's allowed to enter the big event in November.

[Photo courtesy of Ralph Barrera/American-Statesman]

[Marvin @ May 28th 2007 1:38PM]

Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and the ask me to carry this cache of ammo across the city. Call that job satisfaction? 'Cause I don't.

[Stevelo @ May 28th 2007 1:48PM]

Well...it's nice to see that the VehiCROSS actually getting some type of purpose.

[Victor @ May 28th 2007 1:56PM]

Judging by the type of car they picked and the heavy bull rack on the front, it looks like its builders are seriously counting on it to hit some obstacles along the way. I hope nobody gets hurt.

[LukeA @ May 28th 2007 2:03PM]

No parking meter is safe.

[Ron Smith @ May 28th 2007 2:07PM]

The purse challenges like this usually take two years to perfect. So don't expect any of them to go the distance, this year. If they did, then there wouldn't be much of a point.

[sendeth @ May 28th 2007 2:44PM]

2 years is good. if we asked nasa to do it, we wouldn't even see a prototype for 20 years. then it would take another 10 for design, 10 years for testing, then theres the actual production. we would get a finished product in about 50 years. and then it would be obsolete and they would have to start over with current technology.

or we can offer the public some government pocket change and have a working prototype in 2-5 years.

[Karim @ May 28th 2007 2:59PM]

For some reason, I want this to be a black '82 Trans Am with liquid-crystal tinted windows and a voice synthesiser that sounds vaguely condescending.

Oh and turbo boost.

Not a decal-festooned SUV.

[John Stracke @ May 28th 2007 4:56PM]

Better condescending than suicidal. Who named this thing?

[Stereo Sean @ May 28th 2007 9:46PM]

No one got the Knight Rider joke. How sad.

[Karim @ May 28th 2007 5:23PM]

I think this Marvin must be able to park itself:

---
"Yeah, yeah," said Zaphod, "now will you please tell us where you are?"

"I'm in the car park," said Marvin.

"The car park?" said Zaphod, "what are you doing there?"

"Parking cars, what else does one do in a car park?"

-- from "The Restaurant at the End of the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams

http://matt.injustice.net.nz/guide/book2/b2c18.php

[nikster @ May 28th 2007 10:59PM]

No, we all got the Knight Rider joke. And the Marvin joke.

The only problem that I see with this is that Marvin is both depressed and suicidal. Not the best name for an autonomous vehicle. Do they even make the VehiCROSS anymore?

I hope there will be an entrant in a black 1980ies Trans Am. Maybe sponsored by the Hoff himself? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hasselhoff

[Scott @ May 29th 2007 7:51AM]

They stopped making the VehiCROSS in 2001, unfortunately, after exporting only 4,300 of them since 1999. I've owned my 2001 VehiCROSS for 5 years, and it's a great choice for the DARPA challenge...

[Zac T @ May 29th 2007 10:11AM]

Wonder why the US flag is backwards? Hope to see the Lotus do well.

[Fish&Chips @ May 29th 2007 8:52PM]

Zac T: The reason why the US flag is backwards is that, when view from the other side, the US flag is displayed in the same direction (i.e., the 'correct' way) essentially, what the team has done is create the flag as seen from both sides. The same is also done with military uniforms.

As for the bot itself, I applaud the forward steps that are being made in the industry. Goes to show that competition is truly the mother of invention (of course, money also played a role).

I can't believe no one has done this yet. *Sigh*

"I for one, welcome our self-driving, parallel parking robot overlords."

[Chris @ May 29th 2007 9:51PM]

My girlfriend worked on this SUV last semester while taking an autonomous vehicles class at UT, pretty sweet to see the car make the site!