KAT-5: Robust systems for autonomous vehicle navigation in challenging and unknown terrain

Kat-5 was the fourth vehicle to make history in DARPA’s 2005 Grand Challenge, where for the first time ever, autonomous vehicles were able to travel through 100 miles of rough terrain at average speeds greater than 15 mph. In this paper, we describe the mechanisms and methods that were used to develop the vehicle. We describe the main hardware systems with which the vehicle was outfitted for navigation, computing, and control. We describe the sensors, the computing grid, and the methods that controlled the navigation based on the sensor readings. We also discuss the experiences gained in the course of the development and provide highlights of actual field performance.