FURBOT

The FURBOT project belongs to the 7th Framework Programme and it proposes a novel concept architectures of new generation of vehicles for urban freight transport; it is aimed to develop a vehicle prototype, to demonstrate the expected performances.

The main paradigms of the new vehicle design are: energy efficiency, sustainability, mobility dexterity, modularity, intelligent automated driving and freight handling robotization. The design approach is oriented to harmonically integrate the new features into the vehicle architectures, based on the knowledge of advanced technologies in the field of the electric power supply and drive trains, in wheel motors, lightweight high strength materials, perceptual systems and intelligent controls.

FURBOT vehicle will present a new frame-platform structure, a new efficient power supply and a drive train layout including X-by wire transmission, a new robotic tools for freights manipulation, a new internal state sensorial/monitoring system and a new perceptive/automated control functions.

The vehicle architecture is conceived modularly. The payload is considered packaged in freight boxes. Attention will be paid to the modularity and standardization of components as well as to safety issues about crashworthiness and EMI/EMC, radiation health impact issues.

A great effort will be devoted to improve the energy efficiency of the system by exploiting different aspects: a new power train layout integrated in the chassis; new battery and energy management system; last generation lightweight, direct drive electric motors; regenerative braking on the four driving wheels; reduced mass; attentive use of power addressed by the driver assistant or operating within the automated driving module.

The FURBOT vehicle represents a transport agent that can be used by alone but that better exploits its power if used in a fleet offering a new sustainable and very adaptable urban freight transport system. The system will be modeled and a simulator developed.

So, the strong points of the designed FURBOT vehicle will be:

• small size: the reduced size of the vehicle will make easier the delivery of the goods in pedestrian and historical centre, where roads are usually narrow.
• zero emission and zero noise: it is an electrical vehicle, so it is environmentally cleaner and less noisy. Due to the low noise level, off-peak and night-time deliveries can be performed.
• intelligent behavior: it is endowed with proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors which allow to understand the internal state of the vehicle and the environment surrounding it. Furthermore, the control system allows the driver to choose among different control modes. Each control mode is designed in order to help the user during his task. For instance, the driving might be fully manual or assisted, according to the situation. The loading and unloading operation will be automatic to reduce the labor that the user should perform.
• multi-functional: it is an integration of a mobile robot, a van and a forklift. It is able to perform various tasks as robot; it transports pallets as van; and it loads and unloads pallets as forklift.
• transport optimization: fleet management is studied by Urban Delivery Centre, taking into account the freight transport demand, the road network with the passenger traffic flows and the governance measures. Then the shortest route will be sent to each vehicle, so that the total trip travelled by all vehicles will be optimized.
• intuitive HMI: the vehicle will be easy to drive thanks to the intuitive HMI and driving assistant.

These characteristics make FURBOT vehicle suitable for a sustainable urban freight transport.

Project official site: http://www.furbot.eu/