Ready for a self-aware, autonomous driving, all-terrain quad to haul and tow stuff for you?
Honda anticipated that and is pleased to announce images and videos of its forthcoming Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) concept.
The Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle is being tested to operate in a variety of rugged work conditions. Designers envision a 4WD quad bike useful for agriculture, security, search and rescue, construction, landscaping, snow removal and many other types of tough jobs.
The Honda AWVs can be customized to work in many different kinds of environments and applications. Designed to be fully self-driven, its meant to perform simple jobs repetitively – sparing human intelligence for more challenging demands.
Capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds of cargo and run on an autonomous, self driving system, the Honda AWV quad is a new kind of work equipment.
The AWV features a programmable interface that allows it to be set it to “Follow Me”, “Pattern”, or “A to B Modes”. Each of these travel plans is relatively simple yet useful enough to be a major assistance on demanding work sites.
Honda has been busy testing their concept and helping to demonstrate its utility. The Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle is being tested across the United States to meet a variety of high value use cases. While a firm release date has yet to be set, many analysts predict this new quad bike AWV will be available within the next 24 months.
In Nevada, the Honda AWV is being used on isolated construction sites to help reduce costs and boost efficiency. The simple “A to B” and “Follow-Me” movement patterns are the perfect fit for a construction site as the vehicle is designed to be self-aware enough to be able to avoid obstacles such as people, building materials, or other vehicles.
In California, the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle is being deployed to assist with the agriculture industry. The quad bike is perfect for spraying pesticides on massive acreages of crops. It can then be used to collect those crops and deliver them for further processing.
In North Carolina, it has been modified with attachments to drag a lawnmower to help maintain the grounds of a massive solar farm. With a rail system capable of receiving many unique attachments and add-ons, the Honda AWV can be outfitted to fulfill a massive amount of tasks.
Firefighters in Colorado have found the Honda AWV makes their job of hauling equipment up into rugged backcountry easier thanks to the strength and utility of this self driving quad.
In Alaska, Honda testers have used the AWV as a snowblower for clearing landing strips and driveways at airports.
The Honda AWV is being designed to provide simple, autonomous support to help tackle the toughest jobs out there.
SOURCE: Honda
