Undergrads Nationwide Compete to Code and Drive UA's CAT Vehicle

Students from around the world will soon compete for a chance to take the wheel – metaphorically speaking – of UA's Cognitive and Autonomous Test, or CAT, vehicle.

Under the guidance of ECE professor Jonathan Sprinkle, the CAT Vehicle Challenge gives undergraduate student teams the opportunity to "drive" the driverless SUV using their own code. 

Judges are particularly interested in seeing software that can be mathematically proven safe, said ECE graduate student Matthew Bunting.

Sprinkle has long been a vocal advocate for autonomous technology. For the past five summers he has led a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates program that gives students the chance to pilot the CAT vehicle. He is also involved with UA Tech Parks' efforts to serve as a federal testing site for autonomous vehicles.