From Autonomous Mail and Trash Trucks Do More Than Just Drive | Oshkosh CTO Jay Iyengar · · Intelligent Everywhere: AI for Grand Challenges
“We are trying to create that relationship between the person operating the vehicles and the vehicles themselves. Making it easier to use, making it intuitive and making it safer. We are cutting short on their driver fatigue, the time it takes to do a specific task and overall make the whole industry attractive and more productive.”
On , Jayanthi Iyengar, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology & Strategic Sourcing Officer at OSHKOSH CORP, spoke about AI during Autonomous Mail and Trash Trucks Do More Than Just Drive | Oshkosh CTO Jay Iyengar on Intelligent Everywhere: AI for Grand Challenges.
In a September 2025 interview, Jayanthi Iyengar discussed Oshkosh Corporation's use of artificial intelligence to make vehicles more intuitive and safer for operators. He described the company's approach as creating "intelligent teammates" that reduce driver fatigue and cognitive load by automating specific tasks, such as a refuse truck identifying a curbside bin and deploying its arm at the push of a button. Iyengar noted that this technology can shorten training times, which he said currently take up to six months for operators to master complex controls like joysticks. Iyengar also highlighted Oshkosh's work on predictive maintenance, which informs field operators about wearing parts and provides replacement components proactively to improve efficiency. He cited autonomous jet bridge technology as another example, which can align with various aircraft doors to reduce airport delays. Iyengar emphasized that the company focuses on making systems robust through extensive real-world testing before mass production, and he urged customers to evaluate technology from a total cost of ownership perspective rather than focusing on individual vehicles.