Autonomous Land Rover

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have modified a Land Rover LR3 that will take part in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge.

Without human driver assistance or remote control, the vehicle is able to drive itself and perform simple tasks such as avoiding obstacles and merging into moving traffic.

The LR3 is equipped with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) range finders with vision sensors to view the environment, helping it avoid obstacles that might get in its way. In order to track its progress along the roads, the vehicle uses a combination of GPS (Global Positioning System) and INS (Inertial Navigation System).

With this combination of technology, the vehicle can locate itself within half of a metre anywhere in the world, giving it the ability to stay on road at all times. By grouping these technologies, the LR3 can navigate itself while avoiding anything that might get in its way.