Meet Junior: VW's Automated Passat Wagon

In 2004 and 2005, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency held a contest to see who could bridge the large divide between man and machine in the form of a race called the Grand Challenge. Teams field automated cars, trucks, SUVs and vehicles that defy convention to tackle various terrain. This year, teams will have to navigate 60 miles of urban environment, as opposed to the offroad circuits used in past challenges. 

Volkswagen fielded the last challenge winner: Stanley, an affectionately named Touareg SUV, and hopes to repeat this year with a Passat wagon named Junior. VW actually provides the vehicle to a team from Stanford University, and they work together on the heavy dose of robotics being paired to the car. Stanford’s biggest rival is Carnegie Melon. We’ll see which of the two collegiate geek squads prevails.

The prize is $2 million, so expect the competition to be fierce. The event takes place Nov. 3 at a still undisclosed location.