Driverless vehicle hogs limelight at Auto Expo

 A driverless battery-operated shuttle is hogging the limelight at the on going Auto Expo, with the vehicle ferrying visitors from one pavilion to another.

Gurgaon-based Hi-Tech Robotic Systemz unveiled the first driverless shuttle in the country — the Novus Drive — at the Expo.

The Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), has a capacity to seat 14 people, and can navigate on its own, using high fidelity sensors and robust algorithms for path planning and navigation, said the company.

The battery-powered vehicle can run about 150 km per charge. The user can enter the destination on a tablet mounted on the vehicle. Once the destination is entered, the vehicle starts its journey. It reaches the destination without any hiccups, pausing and moving according to the direction and road congestion.

The vehicle has been manufactured for commuting in a controlled atmosphere and targeted towards intra-university travel, large office campuses, elderly healthcare communities, trade fairs and theme parks, along with the upcoming smart cities, Anuj Kapuria, Director and CEO, The Hi-Tech Robotic Systemz said.

“The vehicle is manufactured at the company’s Gurgaon facility. All its research and development were also done in Gurgaon,” a company statement said.