DARPA UGV programme aims to match crewed vehicle speeds
RFV is housed on a Polaris RZR S4 1000 Turbo base drive-by-wire platform. (Photo: DARPA)
With the goal to develop and demonstrate the ability of autonomous platforms to travel at speeds that maintain pace with crewed vehicles in complex terrain, DARPA will conduct two field experiments this year under the RACER programme.
DARPA is preparing the next steps in its Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) off-road UGV programme, with two field experiments planned in the US this year.
The programme is currently in the first phase. DARPA aims to develop and demonstrate, in a realistic environment, the ability of autonomous platforms to travel at equivalent speeds to crewed vehicles.
The first test is scheduled for March at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, to evaluate improvements in terms of speed and human interactions.
Stuart Young, RACER programme manager in the Tactical Technology Office at DARPA, explained to Shephard that researchers
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