At CES, AI-powered garbage trucks reduce the risk of battery fires
From laptops to EVs, lithium-ion batteries have fueled phenomenal growth in the 21st century, but companies face a significant drawback: increased fire risk.
At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), companies unveiled a next-generation garbage truck designed to detect these highly flammable batteries.
The innovation comes as the careless disposal of smartphone batteries, electric toothbrushes and other gadgets has become an acute problem at recycling centres. The owner of a New Jersey recycling plant that caught fire early Thursday pointed to batteries as the likely cause.
In the United States, a few recycling centers burn down each year across the industry, said Jon Vander Ark, general manager of waste management company Republic Services.
Republic presented their solution at CES: a state-of-the-art garbage truck built by industrial company Oshkosh that monitors the batteries.
The vehicle resembles a conventional garbage truck, weighs more than 41,000 pounds and can carry nine tons of cargo. But it is fully electric and equipped with AI software that scans for problem waste in waste and recycling loads.
While Republic already uses detection systems at recycling facilities, batteries sometimes slip through.
If left undetected, a forklift could run over a small battery and cause a fire, Vander Ark told AFP.
The new trucks will allow drivers to mark collections containing batteries as sensitive cargo before they reach recycling plants.
“Removing that from the power is of great value to us,” says Vander Ark.
– Value in the trash –
The Oshkosh booth also featured electric arm technology that can speed up waste collection and software that identifies non-recyclable contamination in recycling bins.
The refreshed vehicles provide a source of operational data that can help make better use of a garbage driver’s time, said John Pfeifer, CEO of Oshkosh.
Companies can track sources of contamination to educate customers or fine repeat offenders, he explained.
The trucks even capture video evidence when drivers are unable to access the bins due to blocked pickup areas.
“If a customer asks, ‘Why didn’t you pick me up?’… we have video evidence,” Vander Ark said.
He noted that waste management is particularly well-suited to electrification as trucks typically travel shorter distances per shift, eliminating the range concerns that often deter mainstream EV consumers.
The quieter electric trucks also allow for earlier morning pickups when traffic is lighter, while their overnight charging capability ensures operational readiness.
