October 7, 2005—Engineers and amateurs alike are gathering in Nevada this weekend for a one-of-a-kind road race: a contest run by robot cars over a 175-mile (282- kilometer) course without the aid of drivers or remote controls. (Read the full news story.) Dubbed the Grand Challenge, the event is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and carries a purse of two million U.S. dollars.

Recently 43 teams ranging from garage enthusiasts to university engineers brought their machines to the Grand Challenge's qualifying rounds at the California Speedway in Fontana, California. See the action for yourself.