Honda will be bringing an interesting exhibit to CES
2019 (January 8-11), a prototype off-road vehicle named the Autonomous Work
Vehicle. The name tells you pretty much everything you need to know about this
small 4×4 vehicle. It’s designed to work alongside humans by performing tasks
that are too dangerous or difficult for us.
An evolution of the 3E-D18 self-driving ATV unveiled
at CES 2018, the Autonomous Work Vehicle was designed by Honda R&D Americas
by combining the automaker’s all-terrain vehicle (ATV) chassis and emerging
advanced autonomous technology. Honda says the Autonomous Work Vehicle is aimed
at enhancing efficiency and safety for public, commercial, and consumer
enterprises.
For example, it can be used to support people in
industries such as firefighting, search and rescue, construction, agriculture,
landscaping, and snow removal, with the GPS and sensor-based autonomy capable
of guiding the prototype in almost any environment.
The Autonomous Work Vehicle comes with a rail
accessory mount system for a wide range of accessories and attachments, as well
as on board power plug-ins. Given its compact size and off-road capabilities,
the self-driving vehicle can be used virtually anywhere, from dense forests to
urban pedestrian zones.
Honda says it can be programmed in different modes
(“Follow Me”, “Pattern” and “A to B”) to accommodate a range of applications.
So far, the company has beta-tested the Autonomous Work Vehicle in three
different environments, including a large-scale solar operations company in
North Carolina, a wildland firefighting division in Colorado, and an
agricultural research facility in California.
Honda will reveal the results of these real-world
tests at CES 2019. Until then, check out the videos to see the multitude of
tasks the autonomous ATV is capable of completing.
