The fully autonomous, battery-electric prototype by Volvo Construction Equipment is the first real-world example of a self-learning concept wheel loader with the brains to make decisions.
It can perform tasks and interact with humans. It is also the first time ever a LEGO® Technic model has been turned into a real machine. While not commercially available, engineers expect that valuable insights from the LX03 will feed into applications for today and tomorrow. It represents both the next stage in Volvo CE’s exploration into machine intelligence and its determination to decarbonize the construction industry.
What started out as an exciting project between designers and engineers at the two companies, to explore the potential for future construction, evolved over time with the help of a team of smart children into the successful launch of the 42081 LEGO® Technic Concept Wheel Loader ZEUX.
The prototype LX03 has been built by a dedicated team of engineers, programmers and workshop technicians from Volvo CE sites in Eskilstuna, Sweden and Konz, Germany, in collaboration with the design team in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is a 5-ton wheel loader that has been developed as a modular concept, with the capability of being made larger or smaller with just one or two changes to the manufacturing process. It also shares its driveline with the L25 Electric, making it a zero emission, low-noise machine with a runtime of up to eight hours depending on its application.
It is designed to be a smart and safe worker, equipped with a brain that has the capacity to adapt to different scenarios, make decisions in real-time and most importantly collaborate with humans. It can be programmed by customers to complete heavy, repetitive or dangerous tasks, reducing the need for a human on site. Source