Oshkosh Debuts HARR-E, an Uber‑style Autonomous Trash Robot for Planned Communities

Oshkosh Corp. unveiled HARR-E, an autonomous trash‑collection robot that residents can summon with a smartphone app or a virtual home assistant such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Designed for planned communities and business parks with shared collection hubs, the electric rover uses cameras, sensors and self‑driving navigation to roll to a home, open a bin, carry waste back to a central station and return to recharge.

The system is intended to operate as a last‑yard service: HARR-E travels from a nearby hub to individual homes on demand, then deposits collected waste at the hub where traditional refuse trucks continue routine hauling to recycling centers or landfills. Oshkosh said the vehicle is built by its Pratt Miller business unit, which specializes in robotics and autonomy, and that the company developed HARR-E to reduce missed pickups, curbside overflow and the early‑morning noise associated with conventional collection trucks.

Oshkosh described HARR-E as equipped with AI‑enabled perception and navigation systems that allow it to travel through neighborhoods and interact with household bins. Once the robot unloads at the hub it returns to a charging station. The company said the electric platform could cut emissions compared with diesel collection vehicles and that on‑demand pickups could reduce curbside litter and the inconvenience of overflowing containers.

"Self‑driving technology will play an increasing role in our daily lives. HARR‑E is a great example of how autonomous technology can make chores like taking out the trash a thing of the past," said Jay Iyengar, Oshkosh executive vice president and chief technology officer.

Oshkosh also is developing AI systems intended to improve recycling outcomes by scanning bins for contaminants that can spoil whole loads. Contamination is a known problem in many municipal programs, and automated detection at the neighborhood level could reduce the volume of recyclables diverted to landfills, the company said.

HARR‑E was among products recognized by a panel of industry judges at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where it received a CES Picks award. The recognition underscored the device's standing among a crowded field of prototypes and concepts unveiled at the show, but Oshkosh has framed HARR‑E as a system partner for existing collection infrastructure rather than a replacement for refuse fleets.

The concept has prompted discussion about curbside safety, public‑space access and local regulation of autonomous devices. Observers on social media and some municipal officials have flagged questions about sidewalk navigation, interactions with pedestrians and pets, and oversight for new classes of robotic service vehicles. Oshkosh has said the platform emphasizes sensors and navigation safeguards but has not announced broad commercial rollouts.

If adopted by communities, the service would allow residents to schedule pickups from a phone or smart speaker and could pair automated collection with smarter recycling checks at the point of disposal. Oshkosh and its Pratt Miller unit presented HARR‑E as part of a broader trend toward automation in last‑mile services, while noting that human‑operated trucks would continue to move aggregated waste to processing facilities.

As companies and communities evaluate autonomous collection models, officials will weigh potential benefits such as reduced noise and emissions against operational, safety and regulatory considerations. Oshkosh's HARR‑E illustrates how manufacturers are applying robotics and AI to routine municipal services, even as deployment paths and local policies remain under discussion.