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HAS CES 2025 for the very first time, Oshkosh launched a number of specialized vehicles focusing on electric power, safety, silence and cleanliness.
This is an example of trend of non-tech companies showing up with technology that improves products but doesn’t take center stage. In this case, the 107-year-old company brings us EV postal service trucks, a collision avoidance system for first responders, and garbage collection robots.
Oshkosh announced its collision mitigation system designed specifically to keep first responders and service workers safe when operating in high-risk roadway environments. The Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based company also launched AI and electrification solutions that improve waste and recycling collection in communities, as well as an innovative, autonomous robot designed for waste collection at demand which reduces weekly tasks.
“Technology is only as valuable as the positive impacts it has on our lives and our communities,” John Pfeifer, CEO of Oshkosh, said in a statement. “Oshkosh has worked closely with our customers to find solutions to the toughest challenges for some of the toughest jobs in the world – from protecting firefighters to reducing pollution to weekly tasks. Our latest solutions use AI, autonomous, connected and electrification technologies to transform our neighborhoods and put technology to work for us all to make our world safer, cleaner, quieter and more sustainable.
Pfeifer said during a press briefing that the company is leveraging technology born on race tracks with its PrattMiller division, then taking it into areas such as reducing risk for those who work on the road with fire trucks or two trucks.
Pfeifer said the company is working on technology for the airport of the future, the construction site of the future and the neighborhood of the future.
Smarter airports, postal trucks and garbage trucks
In airports, everyone can see inefficiencies, such as sitting in airports because of long lines or delays. AI-based docks, cargo handling, and aircraft parking tools can minimize human error or delays in getting planes and baggage where they need to be.
iOPS technology can digitally connect an aircraft’s entire gate operation and synchronize everything, reducing aircraft turnaround time by two minutes for each flight, based on a test carried out with an airline with 200 planes. The cumulative savings in time, efficiency and costs become significant, Pfeifer said.
To make job sites safer, Oshkosh is manufacturing autonomous vehicles and similar centers that can manage vehicles so they are ready when needed. Oshkosh manufactures purpose-built, route-specific vehicles, such as postal service trucks.
Electric cars have problems with unpredictable driving distances and scarce EV chargers. But the fleets used by the Postal Service have predictable routes and can be adapted to maximize the use of electric vehicle infrastructure. Oshkosh delivers 165,000 vehicles to the USPS, and 70% of them are zero-emission electric trucks, Pfeifer said.
Reducing road risks for first responders
Oshkosh noted that first responders and service workers, such as tow truck drivers, take incredible risks every time they respond to a call involving an active roadway. More than 250 first responders died of having been hit by a vehicle (primarily driven by distracted drivers) at work in the past four years.
To improve the safety of first responders and service workers, Oshkosh developed the Collision Mitigation System (CAMS) – the first system designed specifically for roadside emergency scenarios. CAMS accurately detects the trajectory, speed and proximity of oncoming vehicles to a parked response vehicle using advanced camera technology with AI, advanced autonomous driving sensors and radar, a said Iyenger. This technology came from the PrattMiller auto racing industry.
CAMS provides two to three seconds’ notice of an impending collision, significantly improving the safety of everyday heroes during roadside operations, Iyenger said. The camera system also records a continuous video feed which supports accident reconstruction and insurance documentation, adding an additional level of operational safety.
Whether responding to an accident, providing roadside assistance, or managing snow removal, CAMS is an essential tool that improves situational awareness.
Improving neighborhoods with better waste and recycling collection
Oshkosh also demonstrated three cutting-edge technologies that complement its McNeilus Volterra ZSL – an integrated electric garbage truck, the first of its kind for waste and recycling collection in North America. Most garbage trucks are outdated in terms of modern principles of safety, comfort and noise pollution, Jay Iyenger, Oshkosh’s technical director, said at a press briefing. But the new truck can notably detect a trash can and precisely reach a robotic arm to pick it up on the first try. Normally, a driver must stop and use a joystick to retrieve a bin through trial and error.
Iyenger said Oshkosh is working on ways to make electrification, autonomy and AI technologies to make waste collection and recycling more efficient. There are issues like cross-contamination of recyclables and waste. It is also designed for operator comfort and safety. It also has a new McNeilus Volterra ZFL front-loader truck to complement its side-loader truck.
New technologies include:
- AI-enabled bin detection: This will enable safer and smarter waste collection. Using AI and machine learning to enable semi-autonomous bin management, collection vehicles will detect bins autonomously. With the push of a button, the electric arm will extend to collect the bin with great precision. The streamlined process reduces human errors, speeds cycle times and should reduce training time, Iyenger said. This also improves safety since the arm will not deploy if anything other than a bin is detected.
- Electrified arm: Oshkosh replaces the traditional hydraulic arm of garbage and recycling collection vehicles with a new electric version. The electrified arm works faster than hydraulic arms, saving up to 50 to 60 minutes per day and allowing collection companies to serve more households, Iyenger said. The electrified arm also operates quieter and helps control maintenance costs compared to its hydraulic counterpart, Iyenger said.
- AI-based contamination detection for recyclable materials: Customers say contamination in the recycling stream causes additional work and costs. According to the EPA, up to 25% of materials placed in recycling bins don’t belong there. Oshkosh has developed an advanced vision system using AI to overcome this challenge and identify contaminated materials. This includes cutting-edge processing that helps divert the maximum amount of clean recyclables from landfills for a more sustainable future. It can also reduce thermal events and improve safety when yard waste or flammable batteries end up in trash cans.
Remove weekly tasks for consumers
Oshkosh is also pioneering a new way to tackle a mandatory weekly chore: taking out the trash and recycling. At CES, he is presenting an autonomous and electric waste collection robot (HARR-E). HARR-E is an innovative and autonomous robot designed for on-demand waste collection. It is a smarter, cleaner and safer solution than traditional door-to-door waste collection methods.
HARR-E allows residents to request trash pickup service using a smartphone app or virtual assistant smart speaker. The robot will then leave a central waste collection area in the neighborhood. It will autonomously navigate to the resident’s home using a known map of the area and perception sensors, Iyenger said.
Upon arriving at the resident’s home, HARR-E automatically opens its lid and residents can deposit their waste there. An internal scale weighs the deposited waste, which monitors the payload. This gives apartment complexes the option of charging a collection fee by weight.
After collecting the waste, HARR-E closes its lid and returns to the neighborhood’s central collection area to drop off its load and recharge for the next pickup, Iyenger said. HARR-E is designed to benefit all residents while also contributing to accessibility for people with disabilities and seniors who find curbside waste collection difficult.
Additionally, HARR-E is expected to reduce waste management costs by 25% by eliminating labor expenses and minimizing vehicle maintenance. This can improve the cleanliness of homes and neighborhoods by reducing the need to store waste in bins waiting to be collected.
Participants can view The latest innovations from Oshkosh and more at booth #5616 in the West Hall
at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).
Additionally, Oshkosh executives will participate in sessions during CES Tech Talks at CES 2025, with insights into deploying electrification, AI, autonomy and connectivity technologies to transform their businesses, redefine experiences customer, increase productivity, enhance safety and sustainability and improve employee performance. engagement.
Oshkosh has more than 18,000 employees and was founded in 1917. It has annual revenue of $9.7 billion.
