Success in the Urban Challenge 2007 in the USA

A huge success for Volkswagen Research in the USA: the Passat prototype Junior takes second place in the Urban Challenge 2007, the world's most demanding car race, a contest for intelligent, completely autonomous cars. The outstanding finish in Victorville near Los Angeles is even more remarkable because once again a Volkswagen is among the leaders of the high-tech competition, which has been held for the second time. Volkswagen's Touareg prototype Stanley won the first race in 2005. Junior and Stanley were created in a cooperative effort between the Volkswagen Group Research's Electronic Research Laboratory (ERL) in California and the American Stanford University. That's why both vehicles started with the same colours: those of the
Stanford Racing Team.

Prof. Dr. Juergen Leohold, Head of Volkswagen Group Research remarked, "This year, all eleven participants in the final event were winners, because together, here in the USA, we have all made decisive advances in the future of the car. The driver-assistance systems integrated in the prototypes like Junior will contribute substantially to safety and comfort in traffic because they relieve the driver. We are especially proud of the fact that a total of three Passats qualified for the final event. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Technical University of Brunswick and the University of Karlsruhe as well as their partners who also made impressive showings for German research in California with their Passat test cars."

The winner of the Urban Challenge 2007 was the American Tartan Racing Team with a prototype based on a Chevrolet SUV, the successor of the car which was defeated by the Touareg Stanley in 2005. The participants in the final event of the Urban Challenge 2007 were required to master autonomously a course of about 100 kilometres of simulated dense urban traffic. Obstacles included sixty vehicles generating genuine opposing traffic and a jungle of traffic signs. Of course participants were evaluated not just on the time required but much more on the safety with which the prototypes negotiated the course.

Itis important to note that the assistance systems integrated into the Junior are not intended to deprive the driver of his or her control over the vehicle but rather to ensure a significant improvement in traffic safety in the future. This future has already begun with systems like automatic distance control (ADC) available for the Passat and other vehicles, the lane change assist for the Phaeton and the Touareg, which warns the driver of vehicles in the blind spots, or the park assist offered for the Touran and the Tiguan.