The U.S. Army has tested an autonomous railcar designed to move military cargo without the need for a conventional locomotive or onboard operators.
According to Defence Blog, the demonstration took place during Operation Sentinel Justice, held at the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in the state of Mississippi.
Developed by the American company Intramotev, the system, called TugVolt, is a battery-powered electric rail vehicle capable of moving freight railcars completely autonomously.
During the tests, soldiers used the equipment to reposition Department of Defense railcars between different rail spurs designated for loading and unloading equipment. The vehicle later reorganized railcars carrying real military cargo that had arrived at the exercise site.
According to Intramotev, TugVolt was designed to automate switching operations in rail yards and logistics hubs, reducing labor requirements and accelerating the movement of materials. Because the system is electric, it also eliminates the need for a traditional locomotive for this type of operation.
“In addition to successfully training dozens of soldiers, we demonstrated that Intramotev is ready to meet real-world military needs, just as we are for our commercial customers,” said Alex Peiffer, Chief Operating Officer of Intramotev and a U.S. Air Force veteran.
The test is part of the U.S. Army’s efforts to integrate autonomous technologies into military logistics, aiming to increase the efficiency of supply transportation while reducing service members’ exposure to potentially dangerous tasks in conflict zones.
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Photos: Intramotev. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
