Would YOU Trust AI Driverless Bulldozers, Earthmovers? Seattle Startup Does
Imagine a full-sized bulldozer, or earthmover coming at you, crawling along, with no driver on board.
Seattle-Based AI Company Already Has Driverless Machines
Geekwire has done an update on AIM Intelligent Machines, which was founded in 2021, with the goal of creating AI programs to allow heavy construction equipment to be driverless.
Adam Sadilek, founder and CEO, spent 9 years at Google working on autonomous machines and equipment, and now has a goal of not just powering heavy equipment on earth, but on Mars.
Why Have Driverless Heavy Equipment?
According to Geekwire, besides saving money having AI-controlled machines working on projects, Sadlilek is looking to future missions to Mars, where research has already indicated human involvement could be greatly compromised---therefore, AI for digging and other exploring would be needed.
The company occupies the former SpaceX building in Seattle, they've already obtained a US Air Force contract to create programs to allow heavy machinery to perform airfield runway maintenance and other related duties.
How Is This Different From a Self-Driving Car?
Where a driverless car can be programmed and work off maps, roads, and other fixed infrastructure, AI-powered heavy machinery is reshaping it--bulldozers, earthmovers, and that required a more complex set of tech and mapping.
Are Others Looking At This Too?
There may be other efforts to 'automate' phases of building and construction, according to Geekwire:
:...while AIM has managed to hire a couple former SpaceX engineers to build out its team, it isn’t the only startup mining that rocket-engineering pedigree. TerraFirma, an Austin-based company founded by two more SpaceX engineers, raised $115 million earlier this month in the burgeoning race to semi-automate physical construction."
Interesting...would the AI machines have to wear hard hats?
Here's a YouTube video about the project.
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