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Team LUX readies Volkswagen Passat TDI for DARPA Urban Challenge
Although a fair amount of entrants into DARPA's Urban Challenge flank their vehicles with hordes of less-than-attractive sensors, we've been quick to forgive such atrociousness due to the complexities involved in cruising around sans a driver. Ibeo-led Team LUX, however, is looking to add a dash of style to this year's (now lucrative) competition, as its Volkswagen Passat TDI wagon touts a clean exterior, three "laser scanners" for complete 360-degree perception, and amazingly, not much else. Apparently, the trio of uber-capable modules are all that's needed to keep the car under control, and while we'd typically doubt such bold claims, the 11-member team has quite an impressive resume in the autonomous vehicle department. Still, the minimalist approach will probably face some stiff competition, and although we're certainly not experts on design, we still think the Wolfpack's Lotus packs a bit more sexy.[Via CNET]
