Robot Race

SciAutonics I, "RASCAL." from Thousands Oaks, Calif. starts the race Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. A $1 million race across the Mojave Desert by driverless robots ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA was sponsoring the Grand Challenge to foster development of autonomous vehicles that could be used in combat.

A Dexterit, GhostRider Robot, the world first autonomous motorcycle, collapses on the start line just before its Berkley, Calif. team is able to demonstrate its computer assisted balance capability, Saturday, March 13, 2004, during the DARPA Grand Challenge, a race across the Mojave Desert, California.

Virginia Tech's Cliff, a driverless robot, competes Saturday, March 13, 2004, in the DARPA Grand Challenge. Virginia Tech's converted golf cart failed within 100 yards of the starting line when its brakes seized up.

The Rover Systems team works on their entry in the robotic vehicle race, March 8, 2004, in Fontana, Calif. The vehicle was one of 21 involved in qualifying tests for the Grand Challenge, part of the Pentagon's efforts to have one-third of all ground vehicles unmanned by 2015.

Palos Verdes High School students Matt Thomas, 16, left, and Aaron Schwartz, 15, work on their school's entry, the "Doom Buggy," March 8, 2004, in Fontana, Calif.

California Institute of Technology's robotic vehicle negotiates an obstacle course, March 8, 2004, in Fontana, Calif.

Dan Marino, 15, videotapes a robotic vehicle for a documentary project, March 8, 2004, in Fontana, Calif.

Patheep Noingbangk, right, and Natthakarn Pantiyanurak, Thai Buddhist monks, bless Team Phantasm's robotic vehicle called "Ladibug," March 8, 2004, in Fontana, Calif. The monks offered to bless all participating vehicles but the "Ladibug" team was the only taker.

Members of Team CajunBot wheel out the "CajunBot" at the opening of qualifying for the DARPA Challenge, a race sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, March 8, 2004, at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Team CajunBot is based at the Center for Advanced Computer Studies at University of Louisiana at LaFayette.

Mechanic Spencer Spiker works under the hood of Carnegie Mellon University's 'Sandstorm,' a converted Humvee, Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. 'Sandstorm,' took off at a fast clip, only to break down about 45 minutes into the race, in an unprecedented race for $1 million in government-funded prize money that ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA was sponsoring the Grand Challenge to foster development of autonomous vehicles that could be used in combat. Defense officials foresee using the driverless, remote control-free robots to ferry supplies in war zones.

Palos Verdes, Calif. High School Road Warrios, "Doom Buggy," a Honda Acura MDX, starts the race Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. The $1 million race across the Mojave Desert by unmanned robots ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said. Defense officials foresee using the driverless, remote control-free robots to ferry supplies in war zones.

Axion Racing Jeep 4x4 Grand Cherokee "Spirit of Kosrae," turns around its planned course as it drives erratically at the start of the race Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. The $1 million race across the Mojave Desert by unmanned robots ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said. Defense officials foresee using the driverless, remote control-free robots to ferry supplies in war zones.

Team ENSCO from Falls Church, Va. gets their "ATV" robot vehicle ready at the star line Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. The $1 million race across the Mojave Desert by unmanned robots ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said. Defense officials foresee using the driverless, remote control-free robots to ferry supplies in war zones.

Team TerraMax "TerraMax," autonomous robotic vehicle from Oshkosh, Wis. gets the green flag to start the DARPA Grand Challenge Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. The $1 million race across the Mojave Desert by unmanned robots ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said. Defense officials foresee using the driverless, remote control-free robots to ferry supplies in war zones.

The Golem Group from Santa Monica, Calif. team members Robb Walters, seen from back, and David Caldwell, right, wonder what went wrong under the hood of their "Golem I," a converted pick-up truck Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif. A $1 million race across the Mojave Desert by driverless robots ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said.

The Golem Group's "Golem I," a robot driverless pick-up truck drives across the Mojave Desert on Saturday, March 13, 2004, near Barstow, Calif., in an unprecedented race for $1 million in government-funded prize money. The race ended Saturday after all 15 entries either broke down or withdrew, a race official said.

The first of 15 driverless robots begins trundling across the Mojave Desert on Saturday, March 13, 2004, in an unprecedented race for $1 million in government-funded prize money. First out of the gate is Carnegie Mellon University's "Sandstorm," a converted Humvee, which took off at a fast clip only to break down about 45 minutes into the race.