Renault Shows Autonomous Delivery Pods
Renault SA demonstrated its EZ-Pro autonomous vehicle concept at this week’s IAA commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany.
Renault SA demonstrated its EZ-Pro autonomous vehicle concept at this week’s IAA commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany.
The leader unit can carry a person to handle deliveries of expensive or fragile packages. In an emergency, the person also could operate the vehicle via a joystick controller.
The other pods could be designed for specific applications or include separate lockers to store parcels. Recipients would be able to schedule specific drop-off times and locations, and access the lockers via a smartphone app.
The pods also could function as food, coffee or vending trucks, either with or without a human server. To enhance maneuverability, the vehicles can be manually driven forward or backward and include four-wheel steering to navigate tight areas and parking spots.
The pods are equipped with a host of sensors and controllers to enable automated driving. Other goodies include real-time traffic updates, which Renault says could be synched with traffic lights, and an active suspension system to avoid jarring the cargo.
Watch a video about EZ-Pro here.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Jeeps Modified for Moab
On Easter morning in Moab, Utah, when the population of that exceedingly-hard-to-get-to town in one of the most beautiful settings on Earth has more than doubled, some people won’t be hunting for Easter eggs, but will be trying to get a good look at one of the vehicles six that Jeep has prepared for real-life, fast-feedback from the assembled at the annual Easter Jeep Safari.
-
When Automated Production Turning is the Low-Cost Option
For the right parts, or families of parts, an automated CNC turning cell is simply the least expensive way to produce high-quality parts. Here’s why.
-
Robotic Exoskeleton Amplifies Human Strength
The Sarcos Guardian XO Max full-body, all-electric exoskeleton features strength amplification of up to 20 to 1, making 200 pounds—the suit’s upper limit—feel like 10 pounds for the user.