Heathrow trial for self-driving vehicle
IAG Cargo has undertaken the first airside trial of a self-driving vehicle at a UK airport.
The trial, in partnership with Oxbotica and Heathrow Airport, is designed to help the carrier understand how autonomous vehicles could work in an airside environment.
The “CargoPod” vehicle, designed by Oxbotica, spent three and half weeks running autonomously along a cargo route around the airside perimeter. The trial collected over 200km of data that will enable IAG and Heathrow to assess potential opportunities for the use of autonomous vehicles in airport environments of the future.
IAG Cargo chief Lynne Embleton said: “Technology is evolving at an incredible pace. We are working with fantastic businesses like Oxbotica to develop new capabilities that will change the way airports function around the world. The trial has yielded valuable insights and is another step in our on-going commitment to embrace new technologies, improve processes and enhance our offering to our customers.”