Robotic Audi TTS to tackle Pikes Peak at race speed - without a driver

[Fumesucker]

Autonomous, self driving cars are coming eventually, this is a giant step towards that development.

http://www.gizmag.com/robotic-audi-tts-to-take-on-pikes-peak/14103/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=995304c309-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

Using complex algorithms, the researchers have programmed Shelley to handle like a racecar. For example, as the car approaches a turn, it calculates a best guess on steering and acceleration. Audi's steering system normally responds to the steering wheel, but since there is no driver, it responds to algorithms that combine information such as the GPS path and inertial movement picked up from its sensors.

As the car approaches a corner, another set of calculations corrects the handling through the turn and prepares for what might happen next.

While other autonomous cars have crossed the finish line of the Pikes Peak course, the CARS team’s goal is to do it at race speed, or even faster.

"There are some sheer drops at Pikes Peak in which any sort of self-preservation kicks in and you slow down a bit. We want to go up at the speed that few normal drivers would ever think of attempting."

[Statistical]

1. Science is so cool.

How long before a computer controlled racecar will be able to out-drive any human drivers just like Deep Blue out-played any human player?

[DJ13]

3. They already have a robotic race car driver

The code name for the project is Michael Schumacher.

[RedCloud]

2. The end of freedom as we know it approaches. All hail the tech wonders.

[Fumesucker]

4. A lot of driving is monotonous and boring..

And I'm a person who enjoys driving sometimes and used to race motorcycles a bit.

I don't see handing off driving in rush hour traffic to a computer as being the end of freedom.

[jmowreader]

5. Ah, Pikes Peak ain't so tough

In the 1960s they limited this race to 4-wheel-drives after some asshole won the thing by driving the course in a VW Bug--in reverse.