DARPA Urban Challenge for Autonomous Vechicles ================================================
The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency(DARPA) has scheduled its third Grand Challenge for autonomous robot cars for November 3 2007. The new road rally will be through a mock urban area which force robotic vehicles to obey traffic laws and move through traffic while negotiating urban streets. The robotic contestants must finish a 60 mile course within six hours to win DARPA's $2 million first prize, a $500,000 second prize, and $250,000 third place prize. Contestants can enter two ways. Method one is to submit an application and participate in a series of preliminary test, those passing the preliminary test win $50,000 and get to compete in the semifinal round known as the National Qualification event (NQE). Those that pass the NQE win $100,000 and can compete in the Grand Final contest. The second method requires submitting a detailed technology proposal to DARPA and allow the US government limited licensing rights to the technology. On June 12, 2006 the updated rules, technic evaluation criteria were released. All proposals are due by June 26 2006
sources ==================== Official DARPA Grand Challenge Website