Autonomous vehicle (AV) company EasyMile and airport partner Alyzia Group have announced that, alongside TLD, a manufacturer of aviation ground support vehicles, they are partnering to operate the most recent model of the autonomous TractEasy tractor at Toulouse airport.
The vehicle, designed to tow luggage, is reportedly capable of Level 4 autonomy, meaning it can operate without a human on board. One of the aims behind the partnership is to operate a real luggage and freight service using an AV on a road representative of an airport environment.
The companies claim that this project is further proof that autonomous towing solutions in airports are now mature and that the TractEasy is capable of real-world commercial operations.
The solution is designed to help manage airport issues such as labour shortages and the need for increased efficiency.
TractEasy is in operation at airports such as Narita International in Japan, Schiphol in the Netherlands and Changi Airport in Singapore, as well as automotive manufacturing plants and logistics hubs in Europe and the US.
EasyMile is focused on the development of smart mobility software solutions and driverless technology, automation techniques and methods and developing expertise in the deployment of AVs.
