ZMP and Howa Industry collaborate on development of autonomous EV Sweeper

1. EV RoboSweeper prototype (mẫu thử nghiệm) unveiled for the first time at ZMP World 2023

ZMP Inc. (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Hisashi Taniguchi, hereinafter referred to as ZMP) and Howa Industry Co., Ltd. (Kiyosu City, Aichi Prefecture, President: Takahiro Tsukamoto, hereinafter referred to as Howa Industry) started collaborating on a project to develop an autonomous cleaning vehicle (hereinafter “EV RoboSweeper”) and unveiled the prototype for the first time at ZMP World 2023. The EV RoboSweeper is equipped with ZMP’s autonomous driving OS “IZAC” and various sensors, namely cameras and LiDAR, enabling unmanned cleaning of wide paved road surfaces. In the future, based on the performance evaluation of the prototype, mass production is planned, with sales scheduled for 2024.

2. Background and future prospects of collaboration

The need to enhance productivity is increasing in all industries due to labor shortage caused by the declining birthrate and aging. Meanwhile, cleaning operations at factories, leisure facilities, and other large sites are no exception. Also, there is a demand for automation and labor savings in cleaning. 

In response to these needs, HOWA Corporation, which boasts a 90% share of the Japanese market for street sweepers; and ZMP, which has extensive experience in vehicle automation with autonomous buses and self-driving cabs, have begun joint development of EV RoboSweeper. 

By developing a practical EV RoboSweeper that combines a high level of cleaning power and automatic operation precision, the two companies will contribute to manpower saving and productivity improvement in wide-area cleaning operations, and work to realize a society where people and robots coexist in harmony. 

3. EV RoboSweeper assumed specifications

• Automatically moving and cleaning along a route set up by the user. Fill-in areas cleaning according to the user’s instructions is also possible. 
• Being able to avoid obstacles by following the route to the walls or shoulder roads using sensors such as 3D-LiDAR, GNSS, and cameras.
• Being equipped with stop automatic function and user notification function in case of emergency. Being equipped with Japan’s first lithium-ion battery and electric motor drive for zero CO2 emissions.

                                    EV Robo Sweeper Prototype

4. Autonomous driving OS [IZAC]

IZAC is an autonomous driving OS originally developed by ZMP. IZAC, which has been installed in self-driving cabs, self-driving buses, sidewalk delivery robots, etc. and continues to evolve, is responsible for “recognition, judgment, and operation” of vehicles and robots, and has realized highly reliable autonomous driving in various environments.