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Robotic Audi To Brave Pikes Peak Without a Driver
Scifi83 writes "A team of researchers at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) has filled the trunk of an Audi TTS with computers and GPS receivers, transforming it into a vehicle that drives itself. The car will attempt Pikes Peak without a driver at race speeds, something that's never been done."
But does Mount Washington have an annual, scheduled race period where the road is closed to everyone except racers? The Pikes Peak Hill Climb is one of the oldest auto races in the world and has been held for close to 100 years.
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Ari Vatanen racing up pike's peak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKgeCQGu_ug
The car is named after Michèle Mouton, her nickname apparently was Shelley, the most successful female rally driver to date. Apparently she's considered the most successful female driver in all of motorsports. And it just so happens she drove Audi's and she was the first woman to win the Pikes Peak hill climb. I'd say that's a far more appropriate reference than anything from Asimov.
Top Female Driver?
Where does that put her overall?
Well, she won something, came second in something else and then quit due to rule changes. But please, read the article already.
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The biggest event on the Mt Washington auto road is actually a running race held each summer. It's an intermediate distance road race - about 8 miles (12.7 km) long. But it's uphill all the way: there's 4600 ft (1400 m) of elevation gain, which tends to make it feel more like a half marathon. Also, it's held on the mountain that claims to have the "world's worst weather." It is not atypical for the course start to have temperatures in a 60s at the start of the race under clear skies, only to have the runners finish in near-freezing temperatures, fog, and 50 knot winds.
In spite of that, the winner of the race generally can finish in only one hour. Last year's winner made it in just under an hour.
A homage from gearheads. http://hooniverse.com/blog/2009/10/27/hooniversal-dream-girl-michele-mouton/
From what I remember, 4Motion does not necessarily refer to an AWD system with a torsen differential, although this has been the case in several instances (VW have also used a viscous coupling for AWD). Quattro, on the other hand, refers to a very specific set of technologies.
As far as the engines go, Audi make one of the better (if not the best) 2 Liter engines out there. They put most V6s to shame.
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