Team-LUX live on TV


 
Watch RTL "sternTV" on Wednesday 28 November at 10:15 p.m. to see the LUX car driving autonomously into the studio, a film about Team-LUX at the Darpa Urban Challenge 2007 and more...

Team-LUX@Darpa Urban Challenge

The Team-LUX is entering the DARPA Urban Challenge, the world’s most remarkable car rally. The Team LUX is Ibeo's & SICK's first Grand Challenge team! Like the lynx, SICK & Ibeo will field a keen-witted and intelligent vehicle at the start line for the DARPA Urban Challenge 2007 - and we believe its good instincts will lead us to a successful finish.


"It is pure coincidence that we took a VW car to be our "LUX". We could have chosen any other car." says Tanja Müller.


Impressions of the Team-LUX press conference

On September 27, Team-LUX presented the LUX car to the press before ot left to the US


Media interest at the demonstration of the LUX. The press was very impressed by the performance of our LUX-car.

Team-Leader Richard Bishop tells about his experience at the Team-LUX Press Conference in Hamburg

As the leader of Team-LUX, I was pleased to participate in our press event and vehicle send-off on September 27th in Hamburg. Our technical team from Ibeo had completed tweaking the vehicle to the maximum extent on the limited test area near Ibeo headquarters, and it was time to send the car back to America for final development, the qualifying rounds, and if all goes well, the race itself and the winner’s circle!

After a press briefing talking about the future of automotive safety based on cars so smart they can see everything in all directions, make sense of it, and help the driver stay out of trouble, they went downstairs to a parking lot where our vehicle, the Lynx, awaited. Our technical lead, Holger Salow, positioned the car at the edge of the lot, activated the system, and stepped out. When the driver’s door slammed shut, the human-empty vehicle was ready to show off. It proceeded a short way to a four-way stop intersection, waited for another vehicle to pass through, and then did a smooth left turn. It then noticed that the way was blocked, so it did what you or I would do – it turned around. It then proceeded through several more maneuvers all in autonomous mode, ending up parked snugly in a parking space.

As the camera crews swarmed the car, I stood back and answered a few question. As the personal high point, I was invited by the local Hamburg TV station to perch in the Lynx and provide the weather report. “Showers tonight….” But they said my German was quite good as I uttered the words fed to me.

Take heart, because there are hundreds of engineers working in laboratories around the world -- on laser scanner systems and other technologies -- to change everything: because staying alive on the road does indeed change everything for those who would otherwise be victims of a violent crash.



Team-LUX is the smallest team of the DARPA Urban Challenge Semifinalists

Dr. Ulrich Lages, Dr. Robert Bauer & Richard Bishop

4.11.2007
Today, DARPA has announced the winners of the Urban Challenge 2007. We are very happy as all 3 winning teams have used Ibeo laser scanners for the race!

Congratulations to Tartan Racing (1.), Stanford Racing Team (2.) and Victor Tango (3.).


1.11.2007

Although Team-LUX is not among the finalists in Saturday's Darpa Urban Challenge

Final, Ibeo will be strongly represented in the race: 6 out of 11 (55%) finalists are using Ibeo laser scanners. Another 3 of the teams are using Sick laser scanners.

We keep our fingers crossed for these teams and we are convinced that the Ibeo technology will secure itself a podium position!


31.10.2007
Disappointed and proud – these words describe best how Team-LUX is feeling after DARPA announced today that we will not be among the finalists of the Urban Challenge 2007.
After a series of testing, waiting, hoping, re-testing and hoping again Team-LUX finally couldn’t qualify for the final on 3 November. We feel like losing after a great match with extra time and penalty shoot out.

We had good runs in the traffic merging test course (Area A) and in the four way stop area (Area C). Unfortunately, we first had an engine knock out in navigation/obstacle test course (Area B) and on our second try in Area B our LUX lost his way on a part of the route without lane markings or curb stones. This made our LUX’ instincts go different ways than expected from DARPA. Nevertheless, the smallest team in the DARPA Urban Challenge has given everything and achieved a lot within the last months. A big amount of the other cars had crashes but we never hit anything. With our complete design integration and the small system of only 3 laser scanners we really gain the respect of all the other engineers here.

So watch out, this is surely not the last you will be hearing about Team-LUX…




30.10.2007
What an exciting day for Team-Lux. 2 NQE testings had to be accomplished today. The first one was in area B early in the morning. Maybe LUX was not awake yet because for some reason he was hesitant moving out of his chute in order to start his course. Three attempts were made to make him drive his way. The third one was successful – unfortunately 10 remaining minutes weren’t enough to complete the mission.

Never mind, the afternoon saved our day: the second NQE run in area C was a real success. LUX drove instinctively according to the DARPA safety rules at 4 way stops, made U-turns where required and – except of the last waypoint – finished his mission within the given 30 minutes. Tomorrow will be the decisive day for Team-LUX. We will give our best!




29.10.2007
Today was a great day for Team-LUX! Our LUX car gave an almost flawless performance in NQE testing area A - which was the hardest one for many teams so far! He had to drive as many laps as possible on a road with moving traffic -and find a gap between moving vehicles coming from ahead or from both sides in order to do a left turn. Not an easy thing to do for an autonomous car! LUX did 14 laps in 30 minutes, only 2 other teams could do more by now! We are very happy and hope it goes on like this!




28.10.2007
NQE area C was where Team-LUX had today's testing: the missions were 4-way stops, a U-turn and finding a new route. LUX did a great job in the 2 latter ones. Unfortunately, a software problem troubled the 4 way stop mission - a real shame as this is one of LUX' strengths. Luckily, the team could detect the bug very quickly and LUX will have the chance to present his strong side in the second run in area C on Tuesday!







27.10.2007
Today was the first NQE testing for Team-LUX: The LUX car had to find his way through a city within 45 minutes. The mission was a real challenge with many tricky tasks like overtaking, parking and unparking between 2 cars. Just before the finish line the engine cut off and it took 10 minutes until the team had the chance to have a look at it - 10 missing minutes to finish the mission within the 45 minutes. Nevertheless, Team-LUX is very proud of today's performance and looking forward for the next NQE mission tomorrow morning!

26.10.2007
Team-LUX took the first hurdle in the Darpa NQE: the LUX car passed the E-stop test with flying colors!

19.10.2007
Watch the Darpa Urban Challenge Final on 3 November live on the web and cheer for Team-LUX. Just visit www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge

15.10.2007
Luzy, our lynx-baby has already saved the best place and is looking forward to the big race.

09.- 13.10.2007
Get more information about Team-LUX at the 14th ITS World Congress in Beijing. You will find Ibeo & Team-LUX in Hall 2, Booth 2007.

01.10.2007
Team-LUX arrives in Victorville, California! The last preparations before the Challenge starts......

27.09.2007
Team-LUX Press-Conference in Hamburg! The Team presented its LUX-car to the Press before it left for the Challenge....

09.08.2007
Darpa announces semifinalists: Team-LUX has qualified for the Darpa National Qualification Event!

29.06.2007
Site Visit - LUX drove instinctively! Watch the SiteVisit film on youtube.

18.06.2007
The Team is already in Auburn / AL to prepare the lynx for the site visit.

22.05.2007
DARPA Urban Challenge 2007 - not without Lasertechnology from SICK & Ibeo.

11.05.2007
We made it! DARPA has announced the 53 teams that will advance to the next stage!

Site-Visit - here we come!

10.04.2007
We have filmed the Video-Demonstration! The Film-Material is now on its way to DARPA. Watch it now!

15.03.2007
Automous driving LUX! The car has driven the course for the first time!

22.02.2007
Team-LUX has adopted a lynx from game park "Schwarze Berge" named "LUZY"