The second generation prototype of the fully-electric Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) has been successfully tested on a Black & Veatch construction work site in New Mexico, U.S.A.

The field test was the first to deploy multiple units working collaboratively to support construction use cases, requiring the AWVs to deliver materials and supplies to a pre-set destination along a calculated route on a 404ha site. As part of the test, Black & Veatch operators had precisely set start and stop points for multiple Honda AWVs using a cloud-based app interface that runs on tablets and PCs.

The field test also demonstrated the viability of the Honda AWV battery system to support energy-intensive sensors and provide vehicle propulsion, while operating up to eight hours in a high-temperature environment. The vehicle carried payloads of nearly 363kg, and in a separate use case towed a trailer carrying over 726kg.

The Honda AWV employs a suite of sensors to operate autonomously, using GPS for location, radar and lidar for obstacle detection and stereoscopic (3D) cameras for remote monitoring. The vehicle also can be operated by remote control.