DIU CSO #ROADS

Department of War Seeks Scalable Autonomous Vehicle Fleet Management Solutions for Non-Tactical Vehicles

The Department of War, through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), is launching the Robotic Operation for Autonomous Delivery and Sustainment (ROADS) Prize Challenge to modernize its non-tactical vehicle (NTV) fleet management: - Government Buyer: - Department of War (DoW) - Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) as the facilitating office - Scope and Requirements: - Seeking scalable, commercially derived solutions for managing and operating a fleet of over 150,000 NTVs - Solutions must integrate: - Commercially available base vehicles (sedan, SUV, pickup, or minivan) - Autonomy stack supporting SAE Level 2+ through Level 4 - Fleet dispatch and management software - System must be unified (vehicle, autonomy, and software delivered together) - Must demonstrate scalability to 1,000 vehicles within one year - Must adhere to commercial automotive and autonomous vehicle safety standards - Robust cybersecurity and teleoperation fallback required - Rapid fieldability and minimal maintenance/operator intervention emphasized - Challenge Structure: - Multi-phase: proposal evaluation, live demonstration, and on-installation pilot (3–4+ months) - $30 million total funding pool - Potential for significant follow-on purchases - Notable Requirements: - Only complete system solutions considered (no partial solutions) - Must show credible path to SAE Level 4 autonomy - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or vendors named; open to all qualified commercial providers - Unique Aspects: - Emphasis on rapid scalability, safety, and operational realism - Opportunity for commercial technology transition into federal fleet operations

Description

The Department of War is seeking scalable, commercially derived solutions that integrate modern fleet management and SAE Level 2+ through Level 4 autonomous vehicle technologies to increase non-tactical vehicle (NTV) utilization, improve safety, reduce fleet size and cost, and free personnel for higher-value missions. Solutions must operate in realistic environments, be scalable to up to 1000 vehicles within one year, and demonstrate a clear path to SAE Level 4 autonomy. The challenge includes multiple phases: proposal evaluation, live demonstrations, and on-installation pilots, with a total funding pool of $30 million and potential follow-on purchases. Proposals must present a complete system solution including vehicle, autonomy stack, and fleet dispatch software as a unified package.

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