IAI, Airbus Cooperate on fuel-saving Robot System - Taxibot

The Taxibot Dispatch Towing system will enable both wide and narrow body commercial airplanes to taxi without using their jet engines
 
Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at the 2009 International Paris Air Show to jointly explore and develop application of IAI's proposed new concept known as "Taxibot" - a tow-bar-less tractor fitted with hardware and software which enable its use for dispatch towing operations under pilot control.
 
The Taxibot Dispatch Towing system, would enable both wide and narrow body commercial airplanes to taxi to and from the gate and runway without using their jet engines.
 
The Taxibot Dispatch Towing concept represents a potential to reduce airlines' annual fuel costs from $8 billion to less than $2 billion, carbon dioxide emissions from 18 billion tons to less than 2 million tons per year, and noise emissions by a significant margin.
 
The MoU assessment phase will cover regulatory, legal/product liability and environmental evaluation, as well as financial quantification of the viability of Taxibot.