Robot tow rigs are coming to take your illegally parked car
Modern problems require modern solutions to tackle them properly, traffic rules and regulations are one aspect that requires a lot of modern solutions, as human enforcement of these regulations is not enough to tackle them properly.
One major traffic rule or regulation that is disobeyed frequently is the rule of illegal car parking. Using traffic wardens or enforcement personnel services alone cannot tackle this challenge, so science has advanced to the level where we have robot tow rigs that can tow you wrongly or illegally parked vehicle, these robotic towing rigs have already been seen operating in the United Kingdom, Liverpool to be precise a wrongly parked Volvo XC60 was seen towed by a robotic tow rig.
The invention of a robotic tow rig is a big win in handling disobedience to traffic rules and regulations. Illegal parking has emerged as a major problem in different cities across the world. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles on the roads, it is very important to address the challenges associated with illegal parking.
Illegal parking is a major contributing factor to traffic congestion. When vehicles are parked haphazardly or wrongly on a busy street or in restricted areas, they obstruct the smooth flow of traffic. This can cause delayed commutes, and increased travel times for everyone on the road, Emergency response vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks may also be hindered in their ability to reach critical situations promptly. Inadequate parking compliance could be life-threatening in emergencies, emphasizing the importance of maintaining orderly parking spaces.
In addition to traffic congestion, Illegally parked vehicles can obscure visibility for other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, leading to accidents and potential injuries. Emergency response vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks may also be hindered in their ability to reach critical situations promptly. Inadequate parking compliance could be life-threatening in emergencies, emphasizing the importance of maintaining orderly parking spaces.
Illegal parking can cause a considerable burden on local infrastructure. Roads and pavements are designed to accommodate specific traffic patterns and parking regulations. When vehicles are parked in unauthorized areas, it accelerates wear and tear on these infrastructures, necessitating more frequent repairs and maintenance. This can strain city budgets and divert resources that could be allocated to more pressing civic needs. Illegal parking can have adverse effects on local businesses. If parking spaces in commercial areas are occupied by vehicles not related to the businesses’ clientele, customers may face difficulty finding parking spaces. Reduced accessibility to businesses can lead to decreased foot traffic, affecting sales and profitability. But thanks to the invention of the newly introduced robotic tow rig defaulters will be punished automatically if their vehicle is found wrongly or illegally parked at any given time.
A brief history on robotic tow rig.
For the records the first robotic tow rig was introduced or first used in 2012, it was invented by a French company Multitract, and the robot was called the EASTRACT. It has tank tracks to make extremely tight maneuvers and is powered by a 35-horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine. is good to tow carries 5,500 pounds, and is radio-controlled. Multitract up their game by bringing the upgrade to Eastract, which is called CARTRACT 4, CARTRACT 4 is intended to move all types of conventional vehicles to 2.5 tons using practically the same process, which makes it better than EASTRACT. The vehicle mover CARTRACT 4 is made with a variable frame fitting with the wheelbase of train wheels, it has a hydraulic control, operating, adjusting, and locking of trains wheels with a system of cylinders.
The CARTRACT 4 just needs to slip all its car mover under the vehicle, from the front or from behind, locked the wheels (front or back, it depends on where you slide the vehicle mover) with the hydraulic clamping block, after you adjust the vehicle mover to slid it to the next wheels train.
When the vehicle mover is slide under the vehicle, you activate a command that lifts the vehicle to 10 centimeters, thereby wheels don’t touch the ground.
The robotic tow rig machine called CARTRACT 4 can be fitted with a conventional electric pallet truck or it can be fitted in the factory (when manufacturing) of an electric or thermic power unit.CARTRACT 4 can move all locked vehicles with the four wheels locked and it can fit all sizes of vehicles, from the smallest like a Renault Twingo to the biggest like an Audi Q7, its special features include:
Take all vehicles until 2.5 tons and 3 meters wheelbase
Park a vehicle the nearest to another one (nearest than can do a driver) which means that you can win space
Pass over small obstacles (doorsill or threshold gate). The CARTRACT 4 has an Overall length of 3850 mm,
Overall width1800 mm, Overall height of 1100 mm, Unloaded weight of 600 + 550 kg, Radius of gyration of 3000 mm, and a maximum vehicle weight of 2500kg.
A close alternative to the CARTRACT 4 is the ANT Autonomous Towing Robot, Although both serve a similar purpose.
The ANT is an autonomous towing robot is a stable system, that is operated by connecting to an IOT technology and having the possibility of moving the robot under the vehicles in traffic, can be informed of the occurrence of vehicle breakdowns or illegal parking and tow the vehicle promptly without any human intervention. What sets this towing robot apart is its remarkable combination of compact size and immense lifting power, capable of effortlessly handling all types of vehicles.
Unlike traditional tow trucks, the ANT robot employs a unique approach by maneuvering beneath the car to perform lifting operations through the tires. This strategic advantage allows it to swiftly reach the front tires, ensuring a faster response time in rescue operations. Thanks to its agile dimensions, the ANT tow truck autonomously selects the quickest route to access the target vehicle’s tires, significantly reducing the time needed to secure and tow it to safety. For instance, the robot can ingeniously enter from the rear and reach the front tires, showcasing just one of the many differences between the ANT and conventional tow trucks. With the ANT Autonomous Car Towing Robot on the scene, rescues and relief efforts are executed with unprecedented speed and efficiency, revolutionizing the automotive industry’s approach to handling emergencies.
Another interesting feature of this robot is the ability to lift all kinds of cars, because cars are different in terms of size and weight, and this robot, despite its small size, has the power and ability of all kinds of cars, and because This car has an ant-like appearance, because the ant, despite its small body, has much more power than expected, and at the same time, it passes through every hole quickly and intelligently to reach its goal, this is exactly what happens in the robot. Ant tow is formed.
Some specific features of the ANT towing robot include:
Shafts are sliding and resistant when towing cars.
- It can carry up to 1.5 tons with Electric Lifting jack.
- Lithium-ion battery.
- 4 Electric Engine.
How can we integrate the robotic tow rigs in the African commute system.
Big countries on Africa , has often struggled with illegal parking and road blocks by abandoned vehicle, for example in Lagos, Nigeria the traffic experience is very hectic, due to several violation of traffic rules and regulations such as illegal parking. The large population of vehicles in these big cities makes it difficult for human control alone to properly handle the situation.and the introduction of robotic tow rigs Can have an instant effect on the congestion of roads in major cities in Africa like Lagos.
Although this new invention is still not yet in African countries like our country Nigeria, but the can play a big role to bringing this helpful robot to the Nigerian traffic scene, already illegal parking is a big road and commutation issue in the west African nation, in other to encourage the rapid adoption of robotic tow rigs, governments can collaborate with private companies that specialize in autonomous vehicle technology. Traffic officer should consider integrating robotic tow rigs into their fleet during idle hours can provide additional towing services while reducing overall congestion. This partnership can lead to the development of more cost-effective and efficient tow rigs, making them a good investment for local municipalities and private towing companies. Government can offer tax incentives or grants to towing companies that invest in robotic tow rigs. This financial support can significantly lower the barriers to entry for adopting the new technology, ensuring a faster transition to more advanced and sustainable towing practices. Robotic tow rigs are Equipped with advanced sensors and cameras, this means that robotic tow rigs can identify illegally parked vehicles with greater accuracy and efficiency than traditional means. Governments can leverage this technology to proactively monitor parking violations in high-congestion areas. With the help of robotic tow rigs traffic and Ross block can be minimize in Nigeria.
In conclusion, These intelligent towing robots work using IOT technology and have intelligent programming and sensitive sensors and cameras to move and perform operations and is suitable for urban services and It has features such as speed in providing services, intelligence, and robotics compared to previous examples and services, and its purpose is to improve urban relief services and reduce the level of stress of users during the accident and also to punish illegal parking drivers.
It is important to know that the development of these robots is to enforce the traffic rules and regulations and also see to the smooth running of day-to-day vehicle operations in society, maybe this robot might not yet be in your country as of now but rest assured that in no distant time, this new technology will be used to punish traffic law offenders, so make sure you do not park your vehicle illegally on the street or road to avoid it getting towed either by a CARTRACT 4 or ANT towing robot.
