Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

But much to the Pentagon's surprise, and, perhaps, embarrassment, not a single contestant actually completed the recent Grand Challenge race across the Mojave Desert. The contest, which cost a reported $13 million, was helmed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in an effort to develop unmanned, autonomous vehicles for military combat.

But the 140-mile race saw all 15 entries fall victim to computer glitches, structural faults or navigational errors. Most contestants got less than a mile before veering off course, stalling or malfunctioning. One vehicle stalled at the start before traveling an inch, and another drove the wrong way at the starting line. Team members were not allowed to steer or control the machines and instead had to rely on global-navigation satellite systems and other technologies.

Oddly, news reports indicated that Pentagon officials were skeptical any of the entries would finish. All 15 contestants competed in a qualifying trial just days earlier at the California Speedway in Fontana. Yet just seven contestants finished that race, which was a mere 1.36-mile stretch.

Despite the failures, DARPA officials were optimistic that progress had been made and claimed the agency "learned a tremendous amount" about robotic vehicles because of the Grand Challenge. For $13 million, they'd better have.

id
unit-1659132512259
type
Sponsored post