Originally Posted by
BAengineer
I can see the attraction of a fully automated tug but I dont see that the technology is really there yet and aircraft stands have all kinds of vehicles driving across and equipment scattered around so it would be difficult to come up with an automated system that could account for all the variables for a possible collision.
There is a controlled lack of discipline on many ramps as anyone who has studied them will know. However, a robot tug only needs to confirm that the cleared area for the gate and aircraft wingspan _is_ cleared. the rest of the circus can carry on outside that area.
As for costs all the tugs would be around the same, probably not costing a lot more than a standard tug. If they were fully automated then you could reduce manpower and that will rapidly repay the capital cost of the tug. However, it will have knock on effects as the pushcrew are also often 'volunteered' to be ramp snow clearers so that pool of employees would need to be replaced. Robots would not be a one for one replacement.
Responsibility for software faults is always going to be an interesting issue,. Normally, the software is factory then site tested with the 'customer' representatives witnessing or even writing their own tests. When that acceptance test is signed off by the customer they have taken responsibility for the operation and potential errors of the software. There will be some residual support and maintenance from the supplier but the customer has taken responsibility for the operation and functioning of the software. (As a lot of you will have exercised my software in the past, I am rather glad of that
)