General Motors has thought outside the box on this one. Meet SURUS, a fully autonomous platform with 4WD and four-wheel steering powered by a fuel cell. Its name stands for “Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure,” and it’s GM’s latest joint project with the United States Army. Unlike diesel-powered trucks, the SURUS produces no noise, smell, or by-product besides purified water. It also isn’t confined to any one job. With a completely bare deck, GM can attach anything from a cab-over crew compartment or a shipping container. Thanks to its fully autonomous driving capability, it doesn’t need a driver and therefore doesn’t need a dedicated cab. This frees up the entire platform to accept an endless number of compatible up-fits.

“SURUS redefines fuel cell electric technology for both highway and off-road environments,” said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM Global Fuel Cell Business. “General Motors is committed to bringing new high-performance, zero-emission systems to solve complex challenges for a variety of customers.” GM is currently readying the SURUS for testing, both with the U.S. military and in commercial applications. SURUS is GM’s second vehicle study of fuel cell applications for the military in recent months. Back in April, the Army began evaluating a fuel cell-powered Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 concept pickup as a possible addition to its field operations. Fuel Cells have the distinct advantage of silent operation while being able to produce electricity for base camp operations with purified water as the only by-product.

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Why It Matters

General Motors’ SURUS platform offers boundless possibilities in terms of mobility and reconfigurability. Add to that the SURUS’ ability to drive and operate in a follow-the-leader style convoy all without a driver. The military could use the SURUS platform to deliver hospital units to disaster areas one day, National Guard troops the next day, and haul debris away the next day – all by simply changing what’s riding on top.

While this style of platform might not take off with the general public, private sector businesses could also employ the SURUS to handle a variety of jobs without having to purchase multiple vehicles. The possibilities are literally endless, all without changing the chassis or mechanical workings. How cool is that?

References

Chevrolet Colorado

Read our full review on the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 Concept.

Read more autonomous cars news.