The Defense Department is offering two million dollars to the builders of the first robotic vehicle to cover a 210-mile stretch of desert in California and Nevada. Known as the DARPA Grand Challenge, it is a race for effective driver-less vehicles. NOVA goes behind the scenes as top engineering teams struggle to solve the daunting problems of making a vehicle drive itself. Armed with artificial intelligence, laser-guided vision, GPS navigation and 3-D mapping systems, the contenders are some of the world's most advanced robots. Even their formidable technology and mechanical prowess may not be enough to overcome the grueling 130-mile course through the harsh terrain, however. NOVA captures the crashes, pitfalls, frustration, fun, excitement, dirt, determination and eventual victory as not one, but three robots make it through the punishing desert course.