Photos: Robot vehicles race for Grand Challenge

The Stanford Racing Team's "Stanley," a modified Volkswagen Touareg, drives itself on the 2.3-mile race track at the qualifying event for the DARPA Grand Challenge, scheduled for Oct. 8 at the California Speedway, near Primm Valley, Nev.

Stanley did qualify for the DARPA desert race of unmanned vehicles, which features a $2 million prize. It finished the seven-day qualifying event without hitting any obtacles.

Note the dust trail picked up just driving through the testing area. Imagine what it will be like riding over desert roads.

Team Mojavation had a problem in the qualifying event when its vehicle decided to turn too soon and was disabled. But the team did qualify for the finals.

Track workers put out a brushfire in the hay bales after a racer named IRV crashed through the barrier.

A tank trap was set up to nab unsuspecting robot drivers during the qualifying rounds.

The robot-driven vehicle Cimar bounces off the wall and is disabled during the qualifying portion of the race.

The JackBot from MonsterMoto is another of the vehicles competing for a spot in the Grand Challenge.

JackBot speeds around the track to qualify for the finals.

DARPA racers come in all shapes and sizes.

Ghostrider is walked off the course.

The Desert Tortoise from Intelligent Vehicle Safety Technologies, another contender.