Izzy | Autonomous Transport Vehicle

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles are those vehicles that can detect the road, the flow of traffic and all non-moving objects around them, thanks to the features they have in their systems. They can operate on their own without a driver. This technology, which has started to be used in the field of transportation and travel today, occupies an important place for the future of the automotive world.

A Brief History of Autonomous Vehicles

With the technological developments in both hardware and software, autonomous vehicles have made many developments from the past to the present. When we look at the history of autonomous vehicles, some systems stood out as the first examples of autonomous vehicles in the years 1920-1930. The first models that could travel on their own appeared in the 1980s.

Izzy – What is Autonomous Transport Vehicle? For what purpose is it used?

Izzy – Autonomous Transport Vehicle; factory, warehouse, large-area facilities, etc. It is a load carrying vehicle that drives in a regular manner without the need for a driver.

One of the biggest problems faced by today’s methods in production systems is the supply of materials to production lines. To eliminate such problems, material preparation teams are formed at production locations and these teams carry the raw materials to be used during production with the aid of lifting and transport vehicles such as forklifts, powered pallet trucks and electric tractors. As a result, extra manpower is wasted, and besides, there is a high possibility of accident occurring due to driver-related errors (inattention, insomnia, etc.).

The purpose of Izzy – Autonomous Transport Vehicle; Is to eliminate the difficulties faced by manual workers in factory environments and instead use a robot, thus keeping up with the developments in technology and increasing the works’ speed. At the same time, since the vehicle can move on its own without the need for a driver, driver-related accidents will be prevented, hence a safer working environment will be created.

How does it work?

Izzy – Autonomous Transport Vehicle is a cargo transporting vehicle that can travel by sensing the traffic situation, road, and environmental conditions without the need for a driver because of it being equipped with automatic control system. Thanks to the sensors embedded in the system, it can be used in factories, warehouses, large-area facilities, etc. It maps the environments and provides steering control of the vehicle with the data it transmits from the sensors to the central control system. The basis of the system is software, and the concept of artificial intelligence in daily life has an important factor in driverless vehicles. The hardware that enables artificial intelligence to scan and analyze data are cameras and sensors. A lidar sensor is used to map its environment. The routes that the vehicle can take are determined and the vehicle moves. Ultrasonic sensors in the vehicle can measure the distance between the vehicle and every living and inanimate object around the vehicle. According to the data from ultrasonic sensors, when approaching any object up to a certain distance, the vehicle stops itself and continues its way when the risk disappears. In addition, it can warn its surroundings in dangerous situations with the warning lamp and buzzer on it. Thus, accidents etc. situations are avoided. Working together with the camera, this mechanism detects signs on the road, employees, all living and inanimate objects.

In addition, there are central control devices (HMI screen, PC, Tablet, Smartphone, etc.) to send the vehicle to the desired location and to receive information about the vehicle. In the interface created to be transferred to these devices, data such as the vehicle’s speed, location, battery information, whether there is a load on it can be accessed through the sensors (speed sensor, load sensor, battery sensor, etc.) on the vehicle. In addition, the user in this interface 1st Station, 2nd Station, etc. By using the buttons, the vehicle can call and send it to the desired location. This way, the vehicle can carry out freight transport between designated stations.

In this way, Izzy – Autonomous Transport Vehicle eliminates the burdens of workers and increases the speed of work. At the same time, since the vehicle can move on its own without the need for a driver, driver-related accidents are prevented, and a safer working environment is created.

Advantages:

• With the smart tracking and control system, areas that can be optimized in logistics are determined, measures are taken, and as a result, the speed and efficiency of the workflow increases.
• Minimizes work accidents and product losses caused by transportation.
• It is economical due to low maintenance costs and expenses.
• Transport areas are used more efficiently.