A robot thing: The UK's DASA is looking to better understand the capability of robotic and autonomous systems to form an autonomous convoy capability on behalf of the MoD. It is looking for info on convoy capabilities both mature and in development. gov.uk/government/new…
This is an area that many have investigated, China has integrated leader-follower (L-F) technology into its trucks for austere environments, and @PatriaOyj has demonstrated similar capabilities for its AMV 8 x 8 family.
@OshkoshDefense has been contracted to integrate its L-F tech onto US Army Palletized Load System Vehicles, and Arquus is looking to utilise commercial L-F tech developed by Volvo in its ARMIS range of trucks. The latter does not require GPS and uses waypoints the company said.
It is pretty clear that for many users the most comfortable route into autonomous tech is logistics. On one hand, it reduces the moral/ethical questions. On the other, it offers certain benefits. For instance, unmanned vehicles present a reduced casualty risk during an ambush.
They also enable a crew to be carried, which can then be dedicated to "fighting the vehicle." If ambushed, the crew would be entirely dedicated to resisting the ambush, rather than trying to drive the vehicle too.
They also offer other benefits such as precision control and do not suffer as much from human weaknesses like tiredness or short attention spans. It's an interesting area for sure, and could make some jobs within logistics safer and potentially more efficient.
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