The Overbot was built to race in the DARPA Grand Challenge 2004. The parameters of the race were fairly simple: 250 miles across the desert, no drivers allowed, first across the finish line in under 10 hours wins $1 Million. 2nd across the finish line takes nothing. The results of the first race were a fiasco: the best car went 7 miles before failing, and most of the other vehicles failed even sooner than that, despite several teams spending millions of dollars on their vehicles.

 

The race was ran again in 2005, with much better results (and a shorter and less challenging course, 131 miles), with five teams that made it across the finish line. The Overbot went to the National Qualifying Event (NQE) both years, but did not succeed in qualifying for the race.

 

The Overbot is a Polaris 6x6 off-road vehicle that has been modified extensively for autonomous driving. It is equipped with a forward looking scanning LiDAR, sonar, color camera, radar, and computer controlled throttle, steering, and brakes. It uses a differential GPS unit as its main positioning sensor.

 

The Overbot was generously donated by the Silicon Valley Off-Road Robotics Association (SVORA) to UC Santa Cruz for continued research on obstacle avoidance and autonomous driving.