Released on = August 9, 2007, 1:15 pm

Press Release Author = Laura P. Wright, BlabberMouth PR

Industry = Defense

Press Release Summary = Austin Robot Technology (ART), Texas' only track-proven
autonomous vehicle robot team, today announced that its self-driving SUV passed its
recent driving test and will advance to the semi-finals, the last step before the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) 2007 Urban Challenge race. The
Isuzu SUV named "Marvin" is the result of a partnership between ART - an independent
Austin-based group of programmers and engineers - and The University of Texas at
Austin.

Press Release Body = The DARPA Release can also be viewed at
http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/docs/PR_UC_Semifinalist_Announcement.pdf



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin Robot Technology's Self-Driving SUV Passes Critical Test --
Proceeds to DARPA Urban Challenge Semifinals
Team is seeking sponsors to assist with travel and competition expenses for the
internationally renowned contest

AUSTIN, Texas - August 9, 2007 - Austin Robot Technology (ART), Texas' only
track-proven autonomous vehicle robot team, today announced that its self-driving
SUV passed its recent driving test and will advance to the semi-finals, the last
step before the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) 2007 Urban
Challenge race. The Isuzu SUV named "Marvin" is the result of a partnership between
ART - an independent Austin-based group of programmers and engineers - and The
University of Texas at Austin.

The test, which was held at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio on July
17, required the SUV to perform a number of exercises using only its programmed
intelligence and onboard computers. The exercises included making three-point turns,
detecting and avoiding obstacles, and stopping at stop signs to wait for other
manned vehicles to pass before proceeding. Passing this test means ART will compete
in the DARPA Urban Challenge National Qualification Event on October 26-31, 2007.

Both the National Qualification Event and the final Urban Challenge will take place
at the urban military training facility located on the former George Air Force Base
in Victorville, Calif.

"We couldn't be more excited," said ART team leader Dave Tuttle. \"Marvin had passed
all the tests beautifully so we expected to be invited to the next stage of the
competition, but it was not official until DARPA announced the list publicly. From
the day after our site visit we\'ve focused on the function needed to compete
successfully in the nationals.\"

The DARPA Urban Challenge, which will take place on November 3, 2007 will pit
autonomous vehicles from around the globe against one another in a race through an
artificial urban landscape. The Challenge is intended to accelerate research and
development in autonomous ground vehicles that could help save lives on the
battlefield. These technologies eventually will be used in the conventional
automotive market as well. The winners will receive $2 million, $1 million or
$500,000 and opportunities to commercialize their research.

The recent DARPA announcement pared the original list of 89 competitors down to 36.

"We felt confident going in," said Don McCauley, vision system & logic design
engineer for ART. "We have been testing for months. But when you're standing there
with DARPA officials, watching your vehicle perform and knowing that it's on its
own, it's nerve-wracking -- kind of like watching your kid skydive."

This year's race is the third that DARPA has sponsored and by far the most
difficult. In 2005 Challenge, vehicles had to traverse a 131-mile dirt road through
the desert, avoiding stationary obstacles in the process. Only five out of 18
finalists completed the race.

In 2007, vehicles will confront a vastly more complex setting that demands they
drive in an urban landscape-replete with potholes, intersections, traffic circles,
improperly parked cars and other moving vehicles-obeying traffic laws in the
process.

In preparation for the DARPA nationals, the team is seeking sponsors to assist with
their travel and competition expenses.

"We are fortunate that The University of Texas at Austin and several other
far-sighted sponsors who helped us early on made it possible for our entry to get to
this point," said Tuttle. "Now we ask Texas companies to step up and help us prove
the value of our home-grown technology at one of the world's most prestigious
events."

Companies and individuals interested in becoming an ART sponsor can visit
www.austinrobot.com or call Dave Tuttle at
512-796-9771.

About Austin Robot Technology
Austin Robot Technology is an autonomous SUV robot team that is fine-tuning a
vehicle capable of driving itself in preparation for the DARPA Urban Challenge in
November 2007.

ART's elite team of technologists offers the only Texas entry with a Grand
Challenge-tested vehicle. Their Isuzu VehiCross SUV, dubbed "Marvin," was the
subject of a course in the department of Computer Science at the University of Texas
at Austin, which is a team co-sponsor. This course provided unmatched hands-on
experience with autonomous vehicle technology, and those students will continue to
work with the vehicle as it prepares for the DARPA competition. The team is
currently seeking additional sponsors for its DARPA entry. For more information,
please visit www.austinrobot.com .

Additional information about the DARPA Urban Challenge can be found at
http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/index.asp. The DARPA Release can be viewed at
http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/docs/PR_UC_Semifinalist_Announcement.pdf

###

CONTACT:
Laura P. Wright
Blabbermouth PR
512-461-5777
laura@blabbermouthpr.com




Web Site = http://www.austinrobot.com

Contact Details = Laura P. Wright
Blabbermouth PR
512-461-5777
laura@blabbermouthpr.com