The DARPA Grand Challenge was the most significant event in the field of robotics in more than a decade. A mobile ground robot had to traverse 132 miles of punishing desert terrain in less than ten hours. In 2004, the best robot only made 7.3 miles. A year later, Stanford won this historical challenge and cashed the $2M prize. This talk, delivered by the leader of the Stanford Racing Team, will provide insights into the software architecture of Stanford's winning robot "Stanley." The robot heavily relied on advanced artificial intelligence, and it used a pipelining architecture to turn sensor data into vehicle controls. The talk will introduce the audience into the fascinating world of autonomous robotics, share many of the race insights, and discuss some of the implications for the future of our society.