Robotics is making a big push in the construction industry lately, including Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot dog, the TyBot rebar tying robot, Built Robotics’ self-driving track loader, or even 3D printing machines. Some threaten to reduce the need for certain labor, or at least displace it, while others, such as Honda’s recently announced Autonomous off-road ATV, merely wants to be your friend and lend you a hand — for now, anyway.
At the World of Concrete 2020, Honda showed off their prototype of their recently announced Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) and are seeking industry partners to help collaborate on solutions for the machine.
At its most basic, the AWV is a programmable cargo hauler that is able to be programmed with unique or straight-line patterns, as well as a “follow me” mode to help reduce fatigue while lending an extra hand. The prototype is based on Honda’s ATV chassis and four-wheel drive system to help it handle rough terrain like would be found on construction sites. It also features GPS, cameras, and sensors to help guide it through the site and keep itself and others out of harm’s way.
But that’s just the beginning. With its rail accessory mounting system and onboard power plug-ins, the engineers at Honda are envisioning endless possibilities for usefulness on the jobsite. As you’ll see in the video at the bottom of this article, there are conceptual drawings for things like plow and excavator attachments in addition to its obvious hauling abilities.
That’s where you come in…Honda is seeking potential real-world applications from both businesses and technology partners for their AWV. There are a lot of possible uses for a machine like this, so if you want to potentially collaborate with Honda, you can email AWV@hra.com.
This isn’t the first robotics company to take this approach either. The aforementioned Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robot Dog sought technology and construction industry partners for collaborations, and many of those are still ongoing.
Shane is the creator of Construction Junkie and an active construction project manager. In his career, he has managed interior remodel projects, site development, construction safety, governmental project compliance, and facility maintenance. He has a strong passion for construction technology and safety, as well as sharing the knowledge or insights he has gained throughout his career.