Before sunrise a few thousand spectators and competitors gathered in the Mohave Desert on 8 October to witness the start of the 2005 Grand Challenge, hosted by the US Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA). 23 teams watched as their vehicles left the starting gate minus a driver, to self-navigate a 132 mile course over desert terrain. Five vehicles completed the demanding course, which began and finished in Primm, Nevada. Stanford Racing Team's Stanley, a modified Volkswagen Touareg, finished in the shortest time, granting the team bragging rights along with the ?1.7m ($2m) cheque from DARPA to take home.
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