Automated Vehicles Symposium 2019

Chris Mentzer
Manager R&D
Southwest Research Institute


Chris Mentzer was extensively involved in SwRI’s Mobile Autonomous Robotics Technology Initiative (MARTI) program. This program created an autonomous vehicle out of a 2006 Ford Explorer with which SwRI was able to demonstrate key technologies improving upon the state-of-the-art in-ground vehicle autonomy. This system has been demonstrated alongside other industry leaders in the field at the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) World Congress in 2008 and the Army’s Robotics Rodeo in 2009, 2010, and 2012. Chris performed system integration for the Small Unit Mobility Enhancement Technologies (SUMET) program for ONR and is currently the project manager for the Dismounted Soldier Autonomy Tools (DSAT), and follow-on Robotic Technology Kernel (RTK) programs for the US Army TARDEC. Chris is currently responsible for overseeing the unmanned ground vehicle programs at SwRI, including work for in the commercial on-road, off-road and agricultural domains.

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