Changi Airport Group and Aurrigo International are now testing the latest version of the electric-powered autonomous vehicle, Auto-DollyTug, at Singapore’s main air hub. 

Combining baggage tractor and airport dolly capabilities, the latest version can rotate in its own length and, using the groundbreaking sideways drive system, move directly sideways and slide into tight spaces, enabling the delivery of a single unit load device even when other GSE equipment is in place at the aircraft. 

The new technology, which will be put through different scenarios to assess its efficiency and speed, features an auto-loading and release management system that adds bi-directional robotic arms to allow the vehicle to autonomously load and unload the ULD. 

Changi Airport is exploring the use of different vehicles, particularly to automate its airside operations, and earlier versions of the Auto-DollyTug have been tested since February 2022. 

“Auto-DollyTug® is the result of clean sheet of paper thinking, as we didn’t just want a modified conventional tractor that could tow some dollies to an area near the aircraft without a driver,” explained Prof. David Keene, CEO at Aurrigo. 

“Our technology can not only carry a ULD on its body, which maximises carrying capacity without increasing the length of the train, it can also autonomously transfer that ULD directly on to a JCPL [joint container pallet loader] or high loader.” 

Auriggo noted that the company has never build a diesel-powered airport vehicle and its technology was designed to be electric and autonomous from day 1. The company never had to work around the compromises of a legacy GSE vehicle product.