Japanese truck and bus manufacturer Mitsubishi Fuso has announced plans to continue developing the eCanter SensorCollect concept, its next-generation, all-electric garbage truck. Although it does not explicitly mention so in the press release, an eventual production-spec version is probable.
The advanced concept was first demonstrated last November on public roads at Japan's Kawasaki City as part of the Creating a Resource Recycling System Using Digital Technology Toward a Decarbonized Society project implemented by the country's Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center. One of the project's key goals is to reduce CO2 emissions caused by garbage collection operations. Testing remains ongoing throughout the 2024 fiscal year, the company confirms.
The concept is equipped with a state-of-the-art tracking system that corresponds with Level 2 self-driving technology. The tech duo demonstrates the effects of increased work efficiency and reduce CO2. The system enables the vehicle to automatically follow a predetermined and more efficient collection route that will also make life easier for garbage collectors.
[Related: Hyundai showcases its hydrogen autonomous tractor]
Equally impressive, Mitsubishi Fuso also developed a garbage information sharing system that utilizes sensors to detect the weight and volume of garbage loaded onto the vehicle as well as the number of pieces thrown in. This information is then transmitted online to waste disposal facilities and other garbage collection operations.
Additional concept features include the use of front and rear-mounted camera sensors, which double as mirrors, that can recognize when the driver leaves their seat. The vehicle then automatically follows the driver as they walk between garbage points. It can also be operated remotely via a wireless HMI (Human Machine Interface). This reduces the driver's physical and work burden by cutting back on the amount of times they have to enter and exit the driver's seat.
Mitsubishi says the system also has the capability of being operated remotely in order to avoid obstacles surrounding the vehicle and to make any emergency stops.
The Japanese OEM began developing the concept in 2020, though the vehicle used for last year's demonstration was an updated version with a gross vehicle weight of 6.4 tons and powered by a single lithium-ion battery.
