Self-driving electric car for work by Honda under test

Autonomous Work Vehicles (AWV), a second-generation prototype autonomous electric work vehicle made by Honda, are being tested at the construction site of the Black & Veatch solar power plant in New Mexico, USA.

AWV is a vehicle developed for agricultural or job site use. Here, the 1,000-acre site is gridded, and materials are transported or towed according to the route set. The first generation is an ATV (All-terrain vehicle) based on the 3E-D18 announced at CES 2018. It was an off-road vehicle equipped with various types of transporters and pesticide sprayers to help workers at construction sites and in cold regions.

The second-generation model that appeared next is capable of autonomous driving or remote operation with four-wheel drive. The pilot can use a tablet to manipulate it with cloud-based software, simulate it once, and then actually run.

The AWV is equipped with a variety of sensors to check the location and avoid obstacles with a front camera, 3D camera, GPS, lidar, or radar. The precision of running the programmed route has an accuracy of less than 1 cm.

It can run 45km for 6 hours with 120V charging and can continue working for 8 hours even in a high-temperature environment. The maximum load capacity is 399 kg, and it has the power to pull up to 750 kg when towed. Honda aims to make AWV technology available for other applications as well. Various uses are envisaged, such as moving firefighters’ equipment at the scene of a wildfire, spraying pesticides in a vast field, or mowing the lawn at a solar facility. Related information can be found here.