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General Motors is working to move self-driving vehicles from the realm of science fiction onto the road.

Tartan Racing, a team sponsored by GM, Continental AG and Caterpillar Inc., is a semifinalist in this year's DARPA Urban Challenge. The $2 million competition is sponsored by the U.S. Defense Department's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The team, based at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, is one of 35 in the race. Their challenge is to develop “autonomous ground vehicles” that can maneuver in a simulated city environment entirely on their own. That means no human drivers and no remote controls.

In the contest, the vehicles must complete a 60-mile course in less than six hours. They must merge into traffic, navigate traffic circles, drive through busy intersections and avoid obstacles. The final competition is scheduled for Nov. 3 in Victorville, Calif.



Source: Automotive News