[Taylor]

I would argue that the lack of autonomous this year was due to the risk-reward assessment. Just at one regional I saw several robots get hung up or overturned by the rack during autonomous mode.
Furthermore, the reliability of the cameras created an issue. In 2006 our dumping robot ran a fairly successful offensive autonomous mode without the camera guiding us; in 2007, without the camera, successful autonomous was nearly impossible.
If the GDC introduces a "safe area" on the field that perhaps only autonomously controlled robots could enter, I would certainly be in favor of that. Maybe when a robot crosses a certain threshold, drivers aren't allowed to touch the controls until the robot crosses back into the teleoperated area...? Some sort of door or gate that restricts use to that area...?
This could get very complicated very quickly.