Defense Tech: Stanford Beats Odds, Wins Robo-Race: "Eighteen months ago, when Darpa held its 'Grand Challenge' -- a $1 million, all-robot rally across the Mojave desert -- none of the competitors could get past mile seven of the 150 mile-long course.

That was then, this is now.

A second, slightly shorter, Grand Challenge went down yesterday. And three robo-cars managed to complete the entire 132-mile race. Two were from Carnegie Mellon's massive robotics program. Finishing just a few minutes ahead, with an average speed of 17 miles per hour, was Stanley, a modified Volkswagen Touareg from Stanford University."

(Via a DefenseTech.)