TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology has developed an autonomous electric scout vehicle, marking Taiwan’s first integration of electric vehicle and autonomous driving technologies into a military platform.
The vehicle can operate in coordination with manned vehicles and personnel. It is designed for all-terrain operations and is capable of maximizing battlefield effectiveness, according to NCSIST.
Its autonomous driving system is capable of point-to-point navigation, autonomous convoy following, and obstacle avoidance.
The vehicle is also equipped with sensors, including lidar, imaging systems, and millimeter-wave radar, according to NCSIST. It is armed with an electro-optical reconnaissance system, a 12.7 mm remotely operated weapon station with remote control and image transmission capabilities, and Mighty Hornet drones.
It is capable of conducting reconnaissance and attack missions.
The defense ministry is also developing a conventional manned scout vehicle under the “Iron Cavalry Project” with a budget of nearly NT$500 million (US$15.8 million), per Liberty Times. The prototype has already completed multiple tests. The military plans to procure up to 468 vehicles beginning in 2028.
