The Tomcar, a modified version of which is being used to patrol Israel's borders (photo credit: Davidbrim, Wikimedia Commons)
In a technological first, Israel is using an unmanned off-road vehicle to patrol its borders.
The robot car, a modified version of the Israeli-made Tomcar off-road vehicle, monitors its surroundings and avoids obstacles using lasers and cameras, according to a report in Popular Mechanics. “The car has no driver, no passenger, and no remote control,” the report noted.
Prof. Hugo Guterman with the Tomcar prototype (Courtesy)
The innovatory vehicle was developed at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba. “By removing the people from the front line, actually you are saving lives,” said Prof. Hugo Guterman, the founding director of BGU’s Laboratory for Autonomous Robotics, who helped develop the computer system that controls the cars.
The input gleaned from the array of sensors is relayed to a powerful computer that processes it based on GPS coordinates, allowing the car to make decisions in real time based on the data, the report said.
Up to 10 of the units have reportedly been deployed in the field.
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