With the new wave of self-driving vehicles such as the google car taking the public by storm, people are wondering when these products will be available for use by the public. I mean who doesn’t want to have a personal chauffeur to take you to work, or the store, or cross state to visit family while you relax, comfortably watching Netflix in the back seat. However, most people don’t think about the possibilities autonomous driving has for the betterment of our troops.
Well thankfully, some engineers at Torc Robotics are. It’s called GUSS and it stands for Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate. Based off of a 6×6 off roader from Polaris, and packed with the latest in technologies by Torc, GUSS is capable of driving itself over a variety of challenging terrain without the assistance of a driver. According to autoblog, GUSS is fitted with numerous sensors and on-board computer programing. This enables it to function in three different pre-programmed modes: “Target Mode”, “Follow Me”, and “WE Mode.”
“Target Mode” is when an operator can “target” a point or multiple points and GUSS will make its way to those points, using its sensors to avoid obstacles along the way.
“Follow Me” mode is pretty self-explanatory. In this mode some sort of personnel can be followed by the vehicle at a distance predetermined and programed into GUSS.
The final mode, “WE Mode,” enables GUSS to be controlled remotely by the troops. Basically a gigantic remote controlled car.
With these modes, the military has a lot of potential uses for something like GUSS. Digital Trends says that the military is taking interest in GUSS because of its off road capabilities, ability to deliver supplies where needed, usefulness in lightening the load of soldiers, and as a defense against IEDs that might not be detected by troops.
Based on an ATV, weighing in at 1800 pounds, and having top speed of 5 mph, GUSS may not seem to have the all qualifications for the job description supplied, but as a prototype it is very exciting. Autonomous vehicles may have a long way before we are able to enjoy their amenities, but it is encouraging seeing how they can transform and even save the lives of our troops.
You can watch GUSS in action during testing at the Marine Corps’ Kahuku Training Area on Oahu, Hawaii in the footage below courtesy of Aiirsource.
Sources:
Autoblog
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/21/guss-unmanned-automated-military-vehicle-video/
Digital Trends
Autonomous Vehicles Today 