Honda will also show off an autonomous ATV capable of assisting people in rugged terrain.
Honda will put an emphasis on the intersection between autonomous functionality and robotics at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show from January 8 to 11. The vehicles show that the money companies are investing into self-driving tech has applications in other areas.
The Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle is a robotic version of the company’s four-wheeler that is capable of going where the conditions might be too dangerous for a person. GPS and a variety of sensors can take the vehicle into the wilderness, and onboard mounts allow for attaching accessories for getting work done. The rig could even work alongside people, including functioning as a mobile battery thanks to its power plugs for recharging equipment.
Honda is already beta testing the autonomous ATV by partnering with companies that might have a use for it. So far, the rig has worked at a solar operations company in North Carolina, wildland firefighters in Colorado, and an agricultural and environmental sciences college in California.
Honda will also show off the P.A.T.H. Bot, standing for Predicting Action of the Human. This self-balancing oval looks futuristic, and like the Autonomous Work Vehicle, it’s supposed to help people. Rather than specializing in rugged terrain, this robot would focus on functioning in areas that are crowded with people. A combination of artificial intelligence, sensors, and cameras work together to identify humans and other obstacles, and the device would have enough maneuverability not to hit them. Honda is still looking for partners to test this robot in public, though.
These devices are part of what Honda calls its Robotics as a Service Platform. The idea standardizes elements like data storage, communication, and robot-to-robot cooperation that creates a unified method for creating these mechanical helpers.
The company has also developed the mobility tech from its Uni-Cub self-balancing chair into the Honda Omni Traction Drive System. It looks like a traditional wheel, but it’s capable of moving a vehicle in any direction. Honda already licenced the tech to a Japanese business that has implemented the unit into an autonomous cart for use in factories.
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