Team Gray Officially Announces Participation in 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has announced that Team Gray, a unit of GrayMatter, Inc. is one of 53 teams that have advanced to the next stage of the agency's selection process for the Urban Challenge. In June, DARPA personnel will visit the Team Gray test site to assess the ability of a modified version of GrayMatter's Autonomous Vehicle System (AVS™) to navigate a test course that includes traversing a four-way intersection and encountering moving traffic. This evaluation covers a subset of the abilities required to complete the Urban Challenge course, including merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, busy intersections and avoiding obstacles.

DARPA will use the site visit evaluation to select the top 30 teams that will compete in the National Qualification Event to be held October 21-31. The results of the selection process will be announced on August 10, 2007.

GrayMatter's AVS™ is an autonomous driving solution tailored directly to the needs of vehicle testing facilities. The system combines satellite navigation with proven driving algorithms to achieve a new level of precision in road testing. Combined with a robotic driving system, AVS™ can pilot a vehicle along a designated path or perform a wide range of standard maneuvers, all without anyone in the vehicle. With the driver safely out of harm's way, vehicles can be tested to the limit of their capabilities with the assurance that AVS™ will do it safely and reliably.

Eric Gray, president of GrayMatter, Inc. commented, "Since completion of the Grand Challenge in 2005, our technical team has advanced several generations in development and design of the both the hardware and software systems that provide intelligence to our vehicle. This has greatly reduced the number of computers and peripheral devices required for its autonomous operation. Our confidence in the GrayMatter AVS™ is such that we have recently begun efforts to commercialize the system, focusing on worldwide vehicle testing markets."

The Urban Challenge is the third in a series of DARPA-sponsored competitions intended to foster the development of autonomous ground vehicle technology for future use within the U.S. military. The Urban Challenge, set for November 3, 2007, will feature autonomous vehicles executing simulated military supply missions safely and effectively in a simulated urban environment. DARPA will award monetary prizes to the top three finishers completing the course within the six-hour time limit.

GrayMatter, Inc. is an affiliate of Gray & Company, Inc. headquartered in Metairie. The company's principal business provides primary liability insurance coverage to companies engaged in oil and gas, marine and construction activities. GrayMatter was formed in 2005 to compete in the DARPA Grand Challenge, and despite the interruption of its development work occasioned by Hurricane Katrina, was the third-finishing team in that competition held in California in November 2005.

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Team Gray is committed to winning the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. Stay tuned, as we will update this site regularly with our progress on meeting this new challenge

About GrayMatter, Inc.

GrayMatter, Inc. provides integrated software and hardware solutions that facilitate autonomous operation of motor vehicles. The GrayMatter AVS™ integrates with virtually any commercially available environmental sensors and GPS systems to allow the vehicle to navigate a selected route while dynamically avoiding obstacles and obeying traffic laws as would a human driver. GrayMatter was founded in 2005 to participate in the DARPA Grand Challenge, a 132 mile race across the desert in which it was the fourth-finishing team, and was semi-finalist in the 2007 Urban Challenge. For additional information, navigate to www.graymatterinc.com.