Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation has participated in a project implemented by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment to verify the CO2 emission reduction effect of garbage collection operations using a partially automated electric truck. The project, ‘Creating a Resource Recycling System Using Digital Technology Toward a Decarbonized Society’ was conducted as part of the Ministry of the Environment’s ‘Carbon Neutral Technology Research & Development Program’ from 2021 to 2023. The project was commissioned by the Ministry together with the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center (JESC), which is the contractor for the project.
In this project, MFTBC and the Ministry of the Environment jointly conducted a demonstration experiment on public roads in Kawasaki City, Japan, using a concept vehicle with an automatic tracking system to demonstrate the effects of increased work efficiency and reduced CO2. The concept vehicle, the eCanter SensorCollect, is equipped with a system that automatically follows a predetermined collection route to improve the efficiency of garbage collection and reduce the workload of garbage collectors. The company also developed a garbage information sharing system that uses sensors to detect the weight and volume of garbage loaded onto the vehicle and the number of pieces thrown in, and transmits this information to waste disposal facilities via the Internet. This illustrates the effectiveness of the system in improving the operational efficiency of waste disposal facilities and garbage collection operations as a whole.
The eCanter SensorCollect automatically recognizes when the driver leaves their seat, using camera sensors mounted in the front and rear of the vehicle that double as mirrors. The vehicle then automatically follows the driver as they walk between garbage collection points. In addition, the vehicle can be operated remotely via a wireless HMI (Human Machine Interface), which reduces the driver’s physical burden and working time by drastically reducing the number of times they have to get in and out of the driver’s seat. The system can also be operated remotely to avoid obstacles around the vehicle, make an emergency stop when a person enters the safe zone around the truck, track the vehicle, or temporarily stop the vehicle.
The vehicle used in this demonstration test has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 6.4 tons and is equipped with a single lithium-ion battery. The new eCanter is also equipped with safety features such as collision damage reduction brakes to enhance safety around the vehicle.
Overall, the project aims to reduce CO2 emissions from waste incineration, waste collection and transportation, as well as from intermediate treatment facilities through the use of digital technology. This is part the Japanese government’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.