Aurrigo International plc (Aurrigo) has begun the first implementation of its new autonomous baggage tractor, Auto-Dollytug®.
Working with the International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL, as well as Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), the tractor will begin operation Spring 2024, with additional vehicles expected to be introduced throughout 2025.
The Auto-DollyTug® is a totally electric autonomous vehicle with the capabilities of a baggage tractor, as well as a high unit load carrying capacity capable of towing three trailers at any one time. The vehicle also comes equipped with robotic arms, allowing it to autonomously load and unload a Unit Load Device (ULD) without the need for any human intervention.
Aurrigo CEO, Professor David Keene, said:This partnership is an important milestone for us as it will be our first aviation operation in the USA – a key target market. This year we will have our autonomous vehicles operating at airports in the UK, Europe, Asia and now the US, showing the clear demand there is in the aviation sector for our technology.
We’re pleased to be partnering with IAG beyond the UK and to be building a presence at a key international airport. We are demonstrating vehicles that are designed from the ground up to be electric and autonomous to provide substantial efficiency improvements in future ground handling operations.
