US Autonomous Vehicles Deployed in Ukraine

Forterra, a US builder of autonomous vehicles, has deployed over 100 self-driving ATVs in Ukraine for the past nine months. The vehicles, which are gas-powered and can carry 750 kilograms of cargo, have driven over 2,500 miles and completed 52 casualty evacuations. The deployment is part of a growing effort to transform the US military through its support of Ukrainian resistance to Russian invaders. While the vehicles have been successful, they are not yet fully autonomous in combat zones, with Ukrainian soldiers mainly teleoperating them due to their value and the limitations of current autonomy technology. The use of autonomous vehicles in Ukraine has highlighted the need for more affordable and adaptable technology, with the Ukrainians requesting cheaper options. Forterra is working on combining self-driving car algorithms with newer generative AI software to improve the vehicles' ability to react to their surroundings.