Autonomous yard transport launches with robotic arm

It will be tested by two major logistics and e-commerce players in the United States and Europe in mid-2021.

Large logistics centres of the retail or e-commerce industries receive tens of thousands of trucks a year and are subject to very fast turnaround.

Gaussin has developed a turnkey solution for the movement of trailers, semi-trailers and swap bodies between the equipment parking areas and the docks.

The solution is based on the ATM and TSBM hydrogen-powered vehicle platforms already deployed in electric versions at 40 sites, as well as the firm’s autonomous navigation technology, which enables vehicles to locate themselves, understand their environment and adapt their driving according to events on route.

The trucks has fleet supervision and orchestration software to receive mission orders from the logistics operator and dispatch them optimally to each vehicle.

It also features a vehicle-mounted robotic arm that enables the connection and disconnection of air and electrical connectors linking the trailer and tractor. The robotic arm uses its cameras to automatically recognise the connector types and the associated connection maneuver.

See a video of the truck in action here - https://bit.ly/2Pdtj5K