TerraMax: Team Oshkosh Urban Robot

Team Oshkosh, composed of Oshkosh Corporation, Teledyne Scientific and Imaging Company, VisLab of the University of Parma, Ibeo Automotive Sensor GmbH, and Auburn University, participated in the DARPA Urban Challenge and was one of the 11 teams selected to compete in the final event. Through development, testing, and participation in the official events, we experimented and demonstrated autonomous truck operations in (controlled) urban streets of California, Wisconsin, and Michigan under various climate and traffic conditions. In these experiments TerraMaxTM, a modified medium tactical vehicle replacement (MTVR) truck by Oshkosh Corporation, negotiated urban roads, intersections, and parking lots and interacted with manned and unmanned traffic while observing traffic rules. We accumulated valuable experience and lessons on autonomous truck operations in urban environments, particularly in the aspects of vehicle control, perception, mission planning, and autonomous behaviors, which will have an impact on the further development of large-footprint autonomous ground vehicles for the military.