Trash to tech: smart truck saving the planet
Trash to tech: smart truck saving the planet
When you picture a rubbish truck, you might think of a big, noisy, and not exactly environmentally friendly vehicle. Well, it’s time to think again! Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation is shaking things up with a state-of-the-art electric rubbish truck as green as that salad you promised yourself you’d eat this week. This tech marvel is turning garbage day into a futuristic, eco-friendly operation by cutting carbon dioxide emissions and making trash collection smarter and safer.
In a bid to help Japan hit its carbon neutrality target by 2050, Mitsubishi Fuso has partnered with the Ministry of the Environment to roll out a revolutionary project. Under the banner of the Ministry’s “Carbon Neutral Technology Research and Development Program” a bold initiative called “Creating a Resource Recycling System Using Digital Technology Toward a Decarbonized Society” was born. The Japan Environmental Sanitation Center is steering the ship as the project’s contractor and the mission is clear: to test and verify how much the level of CO2 emissions can be slashed by using a partially automated electric truck for rubbish collection.
Game-changer on the streets
The project hit the streets of Kawasaki City, where Mitsubishi Fuso and the Ministry of the Environment put their cutting-edge electric truck, the eCanter SensorCollect, through its paces. The eCanter SensorCollect isn’t just any electric truck; it’s the next generation of waste management vehicles and was designed to do more than just pick up rubbish. Instead, it’s equipped to transform the entire process by following a predetermined route and sending real-time data to waste disposal facilities.
Earlier this year, Daimler Truck Southern Africa announced that the eCanter would be hitting the roads in South Africa, where it will be tested and eventually sold. But the model making waves in Japan is a bit different, loaded as it is with advanced tech that makes it a standout in the rubbish truck lineup.
SensorCollect: smart, safe, and super-efficient
What makes the eCanter SensorCollect so special? For starters, it can automatically follow a set route, which substantially boosts the efficiency of rubbish collection. But the magic doesn’t stop there: this truck is packed with sensors that can weigh the rubbish, count the items loaded, and send the data to waste management centres in real-time. This means quicker, more efficient trash disposal, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.
The eCanter SensorCollect isn’t just about getting the job done; it’s about doing it safely and smartly. The truck’s cameras act as extra eyes, automatically recognising when the driver steps out. It then follows the driver as they move between collection points, making the process smoother and less physically demanding. Plus, the truck can be operated remotely using a wireless Human Machine Interface (HMI), which drastically reduces the time and effort drivers need to invest.
The eCanter SensorCollect can dodge obstacles, make emergency stops if someone enters its safety zone, and even remember where the driver stopped so it can follow them precisely. Talk about a smart rubbish truck!
The eCanter SensorCollect’s tech is so advanced it aligns with SAE Level 2 driving automation. In plain English, this means the truck can handle certain tasks on its own while still needing a human in the loop. It’s all about making life easier for the driver while maintaining safety. For example, the truck can remember where the driver last pressed the stop button and head directly to that spot, or, if needed, it can automatically identify the next garbage collection point and drive there without missing a beat.
Beyond cool
This high-tech rubbish truck is about more than just cool gadgets, though. It’s part of a bigger plan to cut CO2 emissions throughout the entire waste management process, from collection and transportation to incineration. With digital technology and advanced electric vehicles like the eCanter SensorCollect leading the way, Mitsubishi Fuso is driving the transport industry closer to a carbon-neutral future.
The journey doesn’t stop here: Mitsubishi Fuso is committed to continuing this project through 2024 and beyond, developing next-gen trucks that lighten the load for drivers and boost overall efficiency. The lessons learned from these high-tech trials will be applied to other Fuso trucks, paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and smarter transportation industry.
So next time you hear the rubbish truck coming down your street, just remember: it might be the future of waste collection rolling by.
- See the truck in action below.
Published by
focusmagsa
