Busy cargo port tests robot street sweepers
One of the busiest ports in America is testing driverless autonomous street sweepers to clean parking lots, warehouses and garages. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is testing the robot cleaners for the next two weeks. Called the Trombia Free, the metal, fiberglass and plastic vehicle is made by Finnish company Trombia. Each street sweeper costs $450,000, weighs 5,000 pounds and can pick up three to four thousand pounds of wet and dry debris, according to Antti Nikkanen, Trombia Technologies CEO. The robot sweeper travels 2.5 miles per hour and uses 3-D lidar- light detection and ranging sensors - to stop if someone is blocking the path and maneuvering around obstacles. Safety concerns and regulations have stalled the widespread use of passenger self-driving cars. Seaport officials are testing whether the autonomous cleaning vehicles can be safely used in closed, controlled industrial environments like the port, replacing diesel-powered sweepers and operating around the clock.
