Honda showcased its prototype off-road vehicle, the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle, at last week’s World of Concrete 2020. Combining Honda’s all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and emerging advanced autonomous technology, the machine is designed to enhance efficiency and safety for commercial and consumer enterprises.
The Autonomous Work Vehicle is based on Honda’s proven ATV chassis, built on a 30-year history of accessing hard-to-reach locations with its rugged four-wheel drive system. The prototype vehicle features GPS and sensor-based autonomy capable of guiding the unit in almost any environment, a rail accessory mount system for accessories and attachments, and onboard power plug-ins. Its compact size and off-road capabilities make it highly manoeuvrable and perfect for a variety of locations, from construction sites to urban pedestrian zones. Further demonstrating its autonomy, the vehicle can be programmed in different modes – including unique patterns and simple “A to B” – to accommodate a range of applications.
Since introducing the Autonomous Work Vehicle in 2018, Honda has worked with a variety of partners to beta-test and evaluate potential uses in a broad array of environments, including a large-scale solar operations company, wildland firefighting, and an agricultural research facility.
As Honda R&D engineers continue development efforts on the Autonomous Work Vehicle, the company seeks to connect with partners to create accessories and attachments that will expand the machine’s potential uses, businesses that may have a need for the vehicle, and autonomy technology and sensor developers to further improve the platform’s off-road autonomy. Honda is also seeking test-partners to prove the capabilities of the vehicle in real-world settings.
