RACER = Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency
DARPA = Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (I remember ‘back in the day’ when people who talked about DARPA were called conspiracy theorists)
Carnegie Mellon University, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the University of Washington participated as RACER Teams. The intent is to create a self-driving system that can be integrated into many existing, human operated, military ground vehicles.
On 16SEP2022, the first test-run of the self-driving system (integrated into a Polaris RZR S4-1000) on Fort Irwin, California, was conducted. Video via Tom Shortridge:
A third test-run was conducted on 22MAR2023, on Fort Irwin. Video via Tom Shortridge:
The program to apply self-driving systems to all ground vehicles was started in 2021. At the end of 2025, the RACER test program for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps was concluded. One of the requirements of the RACER system is that it does not rely on GPS or planned/pre-mapped routes. Video via Tom Shortridge:
RACER tank towing an M58 MiCLiC on Fort Hood, Texas.
MiCLiC = Mine Clearing Line Charge
More robot vehicles: Militarized Chevy Silverado Diesel Hybird!
