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Torvec,
MotoTron and Traxen to Enter 2005 DARPA Grand
Challenge
ROCHESTER,
NY (FEBRUARY 10, 2005) — Torvec, Inc. (OTC
Bulletin Board: TOVC [Quote].OB
- News) Torvec announced at its Annual Shareholders’
meeting on January 27, 2005 that its wholly-owned
subsidiary, IVT Diesel Corporation, MotoTron,
a Division of Brunswick Corporation, and Traxen
Corporation have agreed to enter Torvec’s
Full Terrain Vehicle (FTV™) in the 2005
Grand Challenge sponsored by the Defense Advance
Research Project Agency (DARPA) of the US Department
of Defense. The purpose of the DARPA Grand Challenge
is to develop a fully autonomous robotized vehicle
needed by the US military in the war against terror.
The Challenge supports the Congressional mandate
that 30% of all US military vehicles be capable
of autonomous navigation by 2015.
Dr.
Herbert Dobbs, a member of the US Army Science
Board and a Torvec Board member remarked, “The
Congressional mandate speaks for itself. Our military
will increasingly depend upon robotic fully autonomous
vehicles. The FTV™ is ideal for programming
as a fully autonomous vehicle because of its ability
to adapt to a wide array of terrain and the most
difficult field conditions. The FTV™’s
patented technologies enable the vehicle to be
fully integrated with cutting edge autonomous
technology.”
MotoTron
will provide the vehicle control system and suitable
application support while Traxen will provide
the sensor fusion software, obstacle detection
components and appropriate application support
for integration with the command and control systems.
The
DARPA
Grand Challenge is scheduled to be run on
October 8, 2005.
This
collaborative effort is the initial step to select
strategic partners to accomplish the goals of
the IVT Diesel Corporation. IVT Diesel Corporation
was formed to facilitate joint ventures with strategic
partners to offer complete diesel drive-train
units to the US military and for use in commercial
vehicles, including Class 3 trucks (UPS, Coca
Cola, Federal Express, etc.) and school buses.
Torvec expects that the diesel drive-train units
offered will be loaded with technology driven
features which will significantly improve performance
in the recipient vehicles. The combined technological
improvements should result in fuel savings, lower
environmental emissions, increased driving performance,
enhanced safety and greater reliability and durability.
The
market opportunities for diesel drive-train units
have increased dramatically for both US military
and commercial applications. The increased weight
of armoring the Humvee military vehicles as well
as the difficult desert terrain where they are
presently deployed requires continuous retrofitting
of engines, transmissions and parts. Moreover,
the 2007 Government emissions standards for commercial
vehicles, higher fuel prices, the high level of
school bus emissions and the resulting health
concerns faced by state and municipal governments,
all present opportunities for Torvec’s proprietary
technology. Torvec’s IVT Diesel Corporation
has been established to work with joint venture
partners to provide such innovative, cost effective
solutions.
Please continue to refer to the CEO Update section
of our website (www.Torvec.com)
for news on this and other Torvec initiatives.
MotoTron,
a subsidiary of Brunswick Corporation, designs
and supplies sophisticated engine control and
vehicle networking systems flexible enough to
handle a wide range of engine and vehicle applications
for both marine and non-marine use. More information
about MotoTron and its capabilities are available
on its Web site at www.MotoTron.com.
Traxen
Corporation is an emerging stage company
focusing on providing collision warning systems
for over the road trucks. The Company is presently
developing a second-generation Collision Warning
and Adaptive Cruise Control System (CWS/ACC).
Torvec,
Inc. specializes in automotive and related
technology. The company holds numerous US and
international patents protecting inventions such
as a steering drive and suspension system for
tracked vehicles, infinitely variable transmission,
hydraulic pump and motor, constant velocity joint
and spherical gearing. For additional information
and presentations, please visit Torvec’s
website at www.Torvec.com.
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