MuCAR-3 -- The Munich Cognitive Autonomous Robot Car – 3rd Generation

Hans J. Joe Wuensche
Professor, Chair and Head, Institute for Technology of Autonomous Systems ITAS
University of the Bundeswehr Munich (UniBwM), Germany

Abstract

We will first show some highlights from more than 25 years of history of robot cars at UniBwM, especially achievements with the 1st and 2nd generation cars VaMoRs and Vamp, which drove autonomously on German Autobahns at high speeds. We will then present the research vehicle MuCAR-3, a modified VW Touareg used for autonomous on- and off-road driving. We will explain the fundamentals of the 4D-Approach to environment perception developed at UniBwM, followed by a closer look at visual and lidar based perception and navigation developed at his institute ITAS. Reactive navigation approaches and an integral coupling of perception and action allows outdoor navigation without or only very sparse GPS information. Finally we will mention some of the German research projects ITAS is part of

Throughout the talk videos will demonstrate achieved performance. We will explain the 2007, 2008 and 2009 European Land Robot Trials (Elrob) where MuCAR-3 finished fastest in 2007 and 2009. He will also outline the differences between the Elrob trials and the DARPA Grand and Urban Challenges, where his team participated as part of the German team “AnnieWay”, making it into the finals of the Urban Challenge 2007.

Bio

Dr. Wuensche is did early research on control engineering at TU Munich and was a Fullbright Scholar at UT Austin. He earned a PhD 1987 for work on vision based vehicle control. He did his thesis work with Prof. Ernst Dickmanns. He work in industry as a manager/director of Messerschmidt Automation Technology 1987-1991. He was working with Schroff as a senior executive until 2004. He is now a professor and chair of Autonomous Systems Technology with the University of German Armed Forces where he serves as the successor to Prof. Dr. Dickmanns.