Australian technology company Applied EV is helping to deploy the first fully autonomous and cabinless commercial vehicle with Oxford-based Oxbotica which could serve a number of industries from last-mile delivery to industrial logistics.
Applied EV partnered with Oxbotica in September 2021 to further develop its programmable and configurable EV platform by integrating Oxbotica’s autonomous vehicle software.
Developed and built in Australia, Applied EV’s EV platform, Blanc Robot, has now begun testing through the streets of Oxford, England, and runs solely on software, with all functions digitised and using no mechanical actuators.
Unsurprisingly, then, the Blanc Robots carry a heavy centralised software and control system, Applied EV’s core technology, Digital BackBone, which can be integrated into traditional cars and trucks to commercialise autonomous transport applications.
Similarly, Blanc Robot is fully modular and flexible enough to operate as a fully autonomous vehicle and configurable for a range of applications.
“The Blanc Robot, a zero-occupancy, all-electric, fully autonomous vehicle, is exactly the new-type of innovation that will form the mainstay of the transportation industry for decades to come,” said Paul Newman, founder and CTO of Oxbotica.
“Our partnership with Applied EV was fundamental in enabling autonomous technology for this on-road milestone. Oxbotica is changing the way people and goods move, and the Applied EV’s software defined vehicle is key to this journey.”
The Blanc Robot is designed to be equipped with “pods” that can be configured for specific applications, while the base EV platform offers all-wheel-drive in either on-road or off-road specifications. Battery size can be matched to the duty and charge cycles, and boasts total efficiency of around 16km/kWh.
“This exciting development positions Australian developed innovations at the heart of the sector and the forefront of delivering AV technology on the streets of Europe,” said Julian Broadbent, founder & CEO of Applied EV.
“This is a historic moment for the automotive transportation industry.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.