http://hooniverse.com/2012/02/02/lemons-says-no-driver-no-problem/#more-79426
http://hooniverse.com/2012/02/02/lemons-says-no-driver-no-problem/#more-79426
I love this idea
“X Ceedingly Bad Idea Prize” Announced for Autonomous LeMons Cars Emeryville CA–In a bid to eliminate the typical team’s weakest link, 24 Hours of LeMons, Inexplicably Presented by Car and Driver will begin taking driverlessautonomous vehicles immediately. Defined as computer-controlled, self-piloting mobile platforms, “autonomous vehicles” (AV) are not to be confused with “terrible hoopties whose idiot drivers bail out” (THWIDBO), of which the series has plenty already. To accelerate the shift from human drivers to the better-smelling silicon variant, LeMons has also instituted the X Ceedingly Bad Idea Prize, an award of one million nickels to the race’s first AV winner. Before being allowed to compete, AVs must demonstrate safety and on-track performance on par with those of regular LeMons teams, including the ability to ignore yellow flags; stop dead in mid-corner for no reason; never find the racing line; and argue irrationally when called in for penalties. While AV equipment is exempt from the series’ $500 price cap, both Google and Carnegie-Mellon quickly announced they’d go after the Prize using new systems based on such LeMons-appropriate technologies as wooden legs, Atari Pong consoles, GM Cross-Fire Injection, and string. Humans wearing C3PO costumes are ineligible.
Does Jay Lamm work for the Onion? That release reads a lot like an Onion article. Funny stuff. That would be interesting to see, I suppose it is only a matter of time until a robocar outdrives people, why not let LeMons and their love of bags of nickles be the thing that pushed technology forward.
Lamm (a.k.a. Murilee Martin) was one of the few reasons Jalopnik used to be worth reading. He and Sam Smith are no longer there, and I no longer read their stuff....
cheat and set up a car with remote control?
JoeyM wrote: Lamm (a.k.a. Murilee Martin) was one of the few reasons Jalopnik used to be worth reading. He and Sam Smith are no longer there, and I no longer read their stuff....
Jay Lamm is not Murilee Martin. Judge Phil (Phil Greden) is Murilee Martin.
But yes, I've stopped reading Jalopnik since he left and followed him over to TTAC.
Thanks for the correction.
Despite my best efforts on five occasions, I've failed to achieve either.
Gearheadotaku wrote: cheat and set up a car with remote control?
Not allowable. I've had a few conversations with Jay since the release came out because if nothing else its a fun mental exercise. They are looking for full autonomy. The offer is serious but he (rightly) believes that unless Google steps up no one else is even close to being able to take up the challenge yet.
I can see some very grassroots ways it could be done a lot cheaper than he thinks but its still not a cheap proposition.
And he eluded to the fact that tech inspection would include getting the blessing from the insurance underwriters sooooo.....good luck with that.
JoeyM wrote: I love this ideaHumans wearing C3PO costumes are ineligible.
well berkeley, I am out.
EricM wrote:JoeyM wrote: I love this ideawell berkeley, I am out.Humans wearing C3PO costumes are ineligible.
how about R2D2?
seems like it wouldn't be too hard to program the GPS data for the track into a PC that runs the throttle, brakes, and steering. ignore all other cars, just make it run the same line all the time. not hitting stopped cars might be harder to implement.
"Inexplicably presented by Car and Driver"
Hahahahahaha.
Seriously, the LeMons and ChumpCar write-ups in the mag are usually my favorite things to read, other than the project car articles.
AngryCorvair wrote: seems like it wouldn't be too hard to program the GPS data for the track into a PC that runs the throttle, brakes, and steering. ignore all other cars, just make it run the same line all the time. not hitting stopped cars might be harder to implement.
I was thinking using some of the bumper mounted backup sensors as proximity sensors front and rear you could have it adjust speed when approaching other vehicles. Sure by implementing that it would technically never pass anyone but if it slow lapped the back of the pack all day long that would be good enough for me.
Other obstacles to overcome. It would need to respond to yellow red and black flags. Again if you are setting it to not pass and just maintain pace behind whatever is in front of it that should work out. Fuel, it would need to be able to monitor the level and switch to a "pit" map to maneuver to the pits when fuel was low.
I find it hard to imagine why any team would actually want to do this...sure, sensors aren't included in the budget, but when your vehicle is a $500 crapcan that might catch fire or get smashed by another driver? I'm not sure I know anyone who would risk a few hundred kilodollars on that. And for one that would win, I would think we're probably in the millions.
The other X-Prizes are given for things that would actually be useful (read: profitable) when they're completed--I think that's the real draw!
Burt Rtan and company spent a heck of a lot more than $1 million on Spaceship One and the lifter plane for it. The money of the X prize was not a draw. Prestige (...and the larger profit that later comes with it) were the goal.
AngryCorvair wrote: seems like it wouldn't be too hard to program the GPS data for the track into a PC that runs the throttle, brakes, and steering. ignore all other cars, just make it run the same line all the time. not hitting stopped cars might be harder to implement.
Awesome! Radar, or some other kind of doppler effect device would help with collisions.
The DARPA challenge had a few home brew efforts, and the AI on a lot of video games (like GT5 etc) can do collision avoidance etc - different environment, but similar calculations.
Still, having done several Lemons and ChumpCar races, there is E36 M3 everywhere - going off the racing line, running 3 wide in a corner while avoiding a skunk fur covered Renault would be a real test.
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