Autonomous Audi TT...

[roost89]

...is being designed to travel up Pikes Peak by itself.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArtic ... S8/244779/
What on earth? At least if it crashes, which it most probably will, there'll be fewer people at risk.

But if it works, it'd be oh so cool!

[Giblet]

Autonomous would, I think, mean it could think for itself much like the DARPA competitors that need to navigate an environment from nothing but sensory stimuli.

I would assume that this Audi uses GPS and telemetry to keep it on course, and the autonomous part would be the small corrections needed to keep it on course.

It's AI would not be far removed from driver AI in racing sims I would think.

[roost89]

I wouldhttp://www.f1technical.net/forum/posting.php?m ... 1&p=132219 assume that this Audi uses GPS and telemetry to keep it on course, and the autonomous part would be the small corrections needed to keep it on course.

I believe you are correct. I've managed to find more information: http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/08/audi ... nomous-tt/

It states:

Sensors:
The Pikes Peak TTS utilizes an Applanix POS LV420 GPS and Inertial Measurement Unit to measure its position.

Just hope there isn;t a cloudy spell going up the hill, it'll send her off the road

This is a rather interesting task to say the least, getting a car up Pikes Peak, at race speed, is a challenge. Only relying on tech alone may prove to be very difficult doing the same thing

[tarzoon]

I guess the team will try to race the car at specific times to get the best signal, along with the rest of the sensors.

There was an episode of top gear where Jeremy Clarkson was driven around the track by a self-driven BMW. So I guess it's possible...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shnC_AbIi_0[/youtube]

[WhiteBlue]

Just hope there isn;t a cloudy spell going up the hill, it'll send her off the road

I would not think that clouds would impede the GPS timing signals any more than the inertial nav or cruise missiles had never found their way in cloudy places. I think that track geometry and traction variations would constitude a greater challenge to an autonomous high performance rally vehicle.

[mx_tifoso]

A few years ago Stanford University designed an unmanned VW Touareg R5 to compete against other unmanned vehicles as well.

"This was the first time in history that a robot was able to accomplish such a long autonomous drive at such high speeds. It's a major step toward "smarter" vehicles," said Dr. Carlo Rummel, ERL executive director.

- Volkswagen Touareg R5 Featured In Smithsonian - Motor Trend

[tarzoon]

Those races still go on. I watched something the other day on discovery channel.

[WhiteBlue]

They will continue until the US Marines and the US army have fully automated unmanned combat vehicles.

[flynfrog]

They will continue until the US Marines and the US army have fully automated unmanned combat vehicles.

and then the robot army will become aware, On that day the machines will win.

[autogyro]

They will continue until the US Marines and the US army have fully automated unmanned combat vehicles.

and then the robot army will become aware, On that day the machines will win.

Then they could send them out to Iraq and Afghanistan and they could blow million dollar holes in the sand for no result just like they do now.
Pheeeef.

[WhiteBlue]

...and then the robot army will become aware, On that day the machines will win.

....Skynet in the making and you are John Connor in disguise?

[flynfrog]

...and then the robot army will become aware, On that day the machines will win.

....Skynet in the making and you are John Connor in disguise?

maybe