Back in March of this year, Honda announced that it was looking for partners to test its rolling electric platform "designed to increase workforce productivity and support repetitive tasks." Now, AWV has been performing inspection tasks at Toronto Pearson Airport. Autonomous work vehicles (AWVs) were introduced back in 2018 and are used to transport heavy materials on construction sites, carry gear for emergency responders, help on farms or assist with site maintenance.
After building multiple prototypes and using them in various field tests, Honda is now looking at commercialization - and is working with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Cisco Canada, Genwave Technologies, Illuminex AI and Eagle Aerospace to explore potential use scenarios at working airports.
Honda's Jason Van Buren said: "Our Honda autonomous work vehicles have been proven through previous field testing to help improve workplace efficiency and safety, so we are ready to enter the next phase of exploring real-world applications with airport operators. As we work to commercialize the Honda AWV, we hope to understand the needs of airport operators and airport authorities to create new value by streamlining operations, improving safety performance and helping to achieve airport environmental sustainability goals."
The current prototype measures 1,300x3,025x2,052 mm (51x119x81 inches) and is equipped with a sensor suite consisting of vision cameras, radar, lidar and GPS. Its electric motor can reach a top speed of 16 kilometers per hour (10 mph) and can be operated via a remote control or automatically after setting a route using Honda's software's tablet interface. The range is up to 45 kilometers (approximately 28 miles) per charge, and charging the battery via a 120V power connection takes approximately 6 hours.
The AWV’s platform can carry up to 399 kilograms (880 pounds), meaning it can carry equipment around airports to support a human workforce. It's rated to tow up to 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) - which might allow it to mow grass while patrolling the perimeter, or haul debris removal tools on runways, or even push luggage trolleys on and off planes.
For its initial fence patrol mission, the vehicle is equipped with Cisco wireless networking technology and is powered by Genwave; a system designed to assess airport conditions in real time and report potential hazards, provided by Illuminex AI; and Eagle Aerospace's cloud-based logging software.
Honda hopes to explore additional applications to "address the challenges of airport labor shortages, safety and security, and emissions reductions" and invites potential partners to get in touch.
The video below provides more information: