Vehicle was named Junior by German scientists. His appearance was the same as the VW Passat vehicle is generally blue. But the vehicle has the ability to deal with the city environment by simulation, complete with traffic systems, rotations and one-way system with no one nobody paid are behind the wheel.
Junior will be included in the competition "DARPA Urban Challenge 2007" is a robotic vehicle contest prize of U.S. $ 2 million. Various vehicles driven by robots will participate in the competition to be held on November 3 in California in the United States Space Agency (NASA). All that is required in the competition must travel 60 miles in six hours. The event was sponsored by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).VW's robotic vehicle steering control using power satellites that will monitor your GPS position with the sensor. Scanning system that combines laser radar display 64 designated individuals, will monitor all directions with a range of 50 meters. The car also has six video cameras.
Junior car brain can decide for yourself which route to take, read maps and process information from as many car instrument until 200 times per second.
Professor Sebastian Thrun, one of Junior's chief designer, told the participants of Science Technology Association meeting advanced U.S. (States) (AAS) in San Francisco: "In the latest challenge was the issue of whether a stone or a set of bushes to be a barrier, because you do ie just keep walking. The challenge is to move after catching the latest environmental situation to know and understand what is in the environment. "
Berobot car was not only able to avoid the collision the car but also controls the system to handle many other problems in driving.
One of the scientists involved designing a smart car that Dr. Mike Montemerlo is what makes this robotic car capable of making decisions in driving.
Considering what should be done is quite difficult and very important in driving, such as: "Is it my turn to cross the intersection? Do I have enough time to cross the intersection before somebody came and hit me?."
Thrun said he estimates that within the next 20 years berobot cars will become so common that we see on the highway and creating a safe and comfortable atmosphere of course.
"Currently we (mobile robot) can drive with a speed of 100 miles without human assistance," he said.
"In 2010 I memperkiran berobot car speed can reach a thousand miles and in 2020 one million miles. In the year 2030 berobot cars will be able to apply these technologies on major roads and the capacity will be over the limit of human command."
He also said berobot car will be able to find his way in the midst of war, can follow a vehicle that carried people who are in front, or can be self-moving convoy altogether.
"At the time the car can walk on his own then there will be major changes in the lives of us all," says Thurn.
