Report Calls for Development of Unmanned Combat Vehicles

To develop unmanned ground vehicles for use on the battlefield, the US Army requires increased funding and a plan that includes integrating technologies and design approaches, according to a report from the National Academies' National Research Coun-cil. The Army hopes to develop the vehicles for surveillance, reconnaissance and other operations, with the purpose of reducing the need for human presence in dangerous arenas and increasing combat effectiveness. The vehicles would rely on a complex platform of sensors, computers and software and be capable of moving autonomously while detecting and avoiding obstacles.