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 Tyco
Electronics Sponsors Carnegie Mellon
University's Tartan Racing Team
with M/A-COM Sensors
Powered by M/A-COM Ultra Wideband
Radar Sensor Technology, Tartan Racing
Team’s “Boss” Autonomous Driving Vehicle to
Enter DARPA’s 2007 Urban Challenge
LOWELL, Mass. – May 15, 2007 –
Tyco Electronics today announced its
sponsorship of Carnegie Mellon University’s
Tartan Racing Team with M/A-COM radar
sensors. The M/A-COM ultra wideband radar
sensors will be donated for use in the
team’s “Boss” vehicles, two 2007 Chevy
Tahoes that will be modified mechanically
and electronically for autonomous urban
driving. One of the two “Boss” vehicles will
be entered in the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Urban Challenge
event, which will be held in the western
United States on November 3, 2007.
The competition will require unmanned
vehicles to drive through an urban course
while obeying traffic laws, merging into
moving traffic, navigating traffic circles,
stop signs and intersections, all without
remote control by humans. The winning
vehicle will be the first to negotiate 60
miles of roads and obstacles in less than
six hours. Cash prizes will be awarded to
the team whose unmanned vehicle successfully
meets the requirements and completes the
course. First prize is $2 million, second
prize is $500,000 and third prize is
$250,000.
“We are very pleased to support the
development of new autonomous navigation and
robotic technologies through the application
of our radar sensors in the Tartan Racing
Team’s unmanned “Boss” vehicles,” said Brad
Kruse, business development manager, Tyco
Electronics M/A-COM automotive products.
“Utilizing our sensor technology, “Boss”
will have the capability to rapidly detect
multiple objects that are closely spaced and
can respond to stationary and moving objects
– all helping to navigate the vehicle
through urban intersections and traffic.”
“Urban Challenge technologies will
dramatically improve the safety and
capability of automotive travel today and
into the future. To succeed, breakthroughs
in machine intelligence, sensing, planning
and software reliability must be achieved,”
said Red Whittaker, Carnegie Mellon
University Professor and Team Leader. “All
of us at Tartan Racing are competing to win
DARPA’s Urban Challenge, but in the end it’s
our intention to make driving safer, to
create and deploy new autonomous navigation
and robotic technologies, and to transform
the public’s understanding of what is
possible.”
The ultra wideband M/A-COM sensors
operate at 24 GHz with a typical range
accuracy of +/- 5 cm and provide a high
level of functionality, even in adverse
weather conditions. The sensors are ideally
suited for use in military applications
including convoy/leader follower, autonomous
vehicles, aircraft/helicopter collision
avoidance, in addition to border security
and various mining purposes.
ABOUT TYCO
ELECTRONICS
Tyco
Electronics, currently a business segment of
Tyco International Ltd., is a leading global
provider of engineered electronic
components, network solutions and wireless
systems, with 2006 sales of US$12.7 billion
to customers in 150 countries. Tyco
Electronics designs, manufactures and
markets products for customers in industries
from automotive, appliances and aerospace
and defense to telecommunications, computers
and consumer electronics. With over 8,000
engineers and worldwide manufacturing, sales
and customer service capabilities, Tyco
Electronics’ commitment is its customers’
advantage. More information on Tyco
Electronics can be found at
www.tycoelectronics.com.
-
M/A-COM, the
TE logo and Tyco Electronics are
trademarks.
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Other products,
logos and Company names mentioned herein
may be trademarks of their respective
owners.
# # #
For sales information, please contact:
M/A-COM, Inc.
1011 Pawtucket Blvd.
Lowell, MA 01853
Americas -- 1-800-366-2266
Europe/Middle East/Africa -- +44 1908-574-200
Asia/Pacific -- 81-44-844-8296 |
