Retraction:  We apologize to anyone who purchased telescopes or binoculars in anticipation of the Mars encounter.  After researching the article, it appears the Mars encounter happened back in 2003. 

For more info >>>click here<<<

However, the following is no hoax.  The US Gov't is offering a $1million prize in a contest to invent a vehicle capable of navigating urban areas.  If you have experience in robotics contact sales@zwebusa.com and let us find out what we can do to help you win. 

To visit the DARPA Grand Challenge website >>>click here<<<

The press release from DARPA follows...

News Release

Arlington, VA 22203-1714

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) today announced plans to hold its third Grand Challenge competition on November 3, 2007.

The DARPA Urban Challenge will feature autonomous ground vehicles executing simulated military supply missions safely and effectively in a mock urban area. Safe operation in traffic is essential to U.S. military plans to use autonomous ground vehicles to conduct important missions.

DARPA will award prizes for the top three autonomous ground vehicles that compete in a final event where they must safely complete a 60-mile urban area course in fewer than six hours. First prize is $2 million, second prize is $500,000 and third prize is $250,000. To succeed, vehicles must autonomously obey traffic laws while merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections and avoiding obstacles.

“Grand Challenge 2005 proved that autonomous ground vehicles can travel significant distances and reach their destination, just as you or I would drive from one city to the next,” said DARPA Director Dr. Tony Tether. “After the success of this event, we believe the robotics community is ready to tackle vehicle operation inside city limits.”

To accelerate development of the autonomous ground vehicle technologies required for urban operations and to ensure the widest possible participation, DARPA announced two ways for teams to qualify and compete in the Urban Challenge. One way involves teams submitting a detailed proposal for up to $1 million of technology development funds in response to a DARPA solicitation. The Government will obtain limited license rights to technologies developed using this funding. Applicants that do not submit a proposal or who are not selected to receive development funds may still compete in the Urban Challenge using the second track.

The second track is similar to that used for Grand Challenge 2005: teams will submit applications and participate in a series of qualification activities. Each team that participates as a semi-finalist in the National Qualification Event (NQE) will be awarded $50,000. Each team that is successful at NQE will receive $100,000 and compete in the Urban Challenge final event.

Participants from both tracks will come together at the NQE and progress on to the Urban Challenge final event, where the selected teams will compete for the top three prizes.  DARPA will hold an Urban Challenge Participants Conference, May 20, 2006, in Reston, Va. At the conference, DARPA will review all aspects of the program, including application and proposal processes, schedule, rules, and technical goals. Conference information and details on the planned conference webcast are available at www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge. The conference is open to media.

Details on how to compete for development funding are available in the Urban Challenge solicitation and proposer information pamphlet, available at http://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/BAA06%2D36/Attachments.html . The DARPA Grand Challenge web site (www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge) is the primary resource for information about the Urban Challenge event and includes frequently asked questions, eligibility information and links to the solicitation.